CITE
15 USC Sec. 78c 01/08/2008
EXPCITE
TITLE 15 - COMMERCE AND TRADE
CHAPTER 2B - SECURITIES EXCHANGES
HEAD
Sec. 78c. Definitions and application
STATUTE
(a) Definitions
When used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires -
(1) The term "exchange" means any organization, association, or
group of persons, whether incorporated or unincorporated, which
constitutes, maintains, or provides a market place or facilities
for bringing together purchasers and sellers of securities or for
otherwise performing with respect to securities the functions
commonly performed by a stock exchange as that term is generally
understood, and includes the market place and the market
facilities maintained by such exchange.
(2) The term "facility" when used with respect to an exchange
includes its premises, tangible or intangible property whether on
the premises or not, any right to the use of such premises or
property or any service thereof for the purpose of effecting or
reporting a transaction on an exchange (including, among other
things, any system of communication to or from the exchange, by
ticker or otherwise, maintained by or with the consent of the
exchange), and any right of the exchange to the use of any
property or service.
(3)(A) The term "member" when used with respect to a national
securities exchange means (i) any natural person permitted to
effect transactions on the floor of the exchange without the
services of another person acting as broker, (ii) any registered
broker or dealer with which such a natural person is associated,
(iii) any registered broker or dealer permitted to designate as a
representative such a natural person, and (iv) any other
registered broker or dealer which agrees to be regulated by such
exchange and with respect to which the exchange undertakes to
enforce compliance with the provisions of this chapter, the rules
and regulations thereunder, and its own rules. For purposes of
sections 78f(b)(1), 78f(b)(4), 78f(b)(6), 78f(b)(7), 78f(d),
78q(d), 78s(d), 78s(e), 78s(g), 78s(h), and 78u of this title,
the term "member" when used with respect to a national securities
exchange also means, to the extent of the rules of the exchange
specified by the Commission, any person required by the
Commission to comply with such rules pursuant to section 78f(f)
of this title.
(B) The term "member" when used with respect to a registered
securities association means any broker or dealer who agrees to
be regulated by such association and with respect to whom the
association undertakes to enforce compliance with the provisions
of this chapter, the rules and regulations thereunder, and its
own rules.
(4) Broker. -
(A) In general. - The term "broker" means any person engaged
in the business of effecting transactions in securities for the
account of others.
(B) Exception for certain bank activities. - A bank shall not
be considered to be a broker because the bank engages in any
one or more of the following activities under the conditions
described:
(i) Third party brokerage arrangements. - The bank enters
into a contractual or other written arrangement with a broker
or dealer registered under this chapter under which the
broker or dealer offers brokerage services on or off the
premises of the bank if -
(I) such broker or dealer is clearly identified as the
person performing the brokerage services;
(II) the broker or dealer performs brokerage services in
an area that is clearly marked and, to the extent
practicable, physically separate from the routine deposit-
taking activities of the bank;
(III) any materials used by the bank to advertise or
promote generally the availability of brokerage services
under the arrangement clearly indicate that the brokerage
services are being provided by the broker or dealer and not
by the bank;
(IV) any materials used by the bank to advertise or
promote generally the availability of brokerage services
under the arrangement are in compliance with the Federal
securities laws before distribution;
(V) bank employees (other than associated persons of a
broker or dealer who are qualified pursuant to the rules of
a self-regulatory organization) perform only clerical or
ministerial functions in connection with brokerage
transactions including scheduling appointments with the
associated persons of a broker or dealer, except that bank
employees may forward customer funds or securities and may
describe in general terms the types of investment vehicles
available from the bank and the broker or dealer under the
arrangement;
(VI) bank employees do not receive incentive compensation
for any brokerage transaction unless such employees are
associated persons of a broker or dealer and are qualified
pursuant to the rules of a self-regulatory organization,
except that the bank employees may receive compensation for
the referral of any customer if the compensation is a
nominal one-time cash fee of a fixed dollar amount and the
payment of the fee is not contingent on whether the
referral results in a transaction;
(VII) such services are provided by the broker or dealer
on a basis in which all customers that receive any services
are fully disclosed to the broker or dealer;
(VIII) the bank does not carry a securities account of
the customer except as permitted under clause (ii) or
(viii) of this subparagraph; and
(IX) the bank, broker, or dealer informs each customer
that the brokerage services are provided by the broker or
dealer and not by the bank and that the securities are not
deposits or other obligations of the bank, are not
guaranteed by the bank, and are not insured by the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation.
(ii) Trust activities. - The bank effects transactions in a
trustee capacity, or effects transactions in a fiduciary
capacity in its trust department or other department that is
regularly examined by bank examiners for compliance with
fiduciary principles and standards, and -
(I) is chiefly compensated for such transactions,
consistent with fiduciary principles and standards, on the
basis of an administration or annual fee (payable on a
monthly, quarterly, or other basis), a percentage of assets
under management, or a flat or capped per order processing
fee equal to not more than the cost incurred by the bank in
connection with executing securities transactions for
trustee and fiduciary customers, or any combination of such
fees; and
(II) does not publicly solicit brokerage business, other
than by advertising that it effects transactions in
securities in conjunction with advertising its other trust
activities.
(iii) Permissible securities transactions. - The bank
effects transactions in -
(I) commercial paper, bankers acceptances, or commercial
bills;
(II) exempted securities;
(III) qualified Canadian government obligations as
defined in section 24 of title 12, in conformity with
section 78o-5 of this title and the rules and regulations
thereunder, or obligations of the North American
Development Bank; or
(IV) any standardized, credit enhanced debt security
issued by a foreign government pursuant to the March 1989
plan of then Secretary of the Treasury Brady, used by such
foreign government to retire outstanding commercial bank
loans.
(iv) Certain stock purchase plans. -
(I) Employee benefit plans. - The bank effects
transactions, as part of its transfer agency activities, in
the securities of an issuer as part of any pension,
retirement, profit-sharing, bonus, thrift, savings,
incentive, or other similar benefit plan for the employees
of that issuer or its affiliates (as defined in section
1841 of title 12), if the bank does not solicit
transactions or provide investment advice with respect to
the purchase or sale of securities in connection with the
plan.
(II) Dividend reinvestment plans. - The bank effects
transactions, as part of its transfer agency activities, in
the securities of an issuer as part of that issuer's
dividend reinvestment plan, if -
(aa) the bank does not solicit transactions or provide
investment advice with respect to the purchase or sale of
securities in connection with the plan; and
(bb) the bank does not net shareholders' buy and sell
orders, other than for programs for odd-lot holders or
plans registered with the Commission.
(III) Issuer plans. - The bank effects transactions, as
part of its transfer agency activities, in the securities
of an issuer as part of a plan or program for the purchase
or sale of that issuer's shares, if -
(aa) the bank does not solicit transactions or provide
investment advice with respect to the purchase or sale of
securities in connection with the plan or program; and
(bb) the bank does not net shareholders' buy and sell
orders, other than for programs for odd-lot holders or
plans registered with the Commission.
(IV) Permissible delivery of materials. - The exception
to being considered a broker for a bank engaged in
activities described in subclauses (I), (II), and (III)
will not be affected by delivery of written or electronic
plan materials by a bank to employees of the issuer,
shareholders of the issuer, or members of affinity groups
of the issuer, so long as such materials are -
(aa) comparable in scope or nature to that permitted by
the Commission as of November 12, 1999; or
(bb) otherwise permitted by the Commission.
(v) Sweep accounts. - The bank effects transactions as part
of a program for the investment or reinvestment of deposit
funds into any no-load, open-end management investment
company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940
[15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.] that holds itself out as a money
market fund.
(vi) Affiliate transactions. - The bank effects
transactions for the account of any affiliate of the bank (as
defined in section 1841 of title 12) other than -
(I) a registered broker or dealer; or
(II) an affiliate that is engaged in merchant banking, as
described in section 1843(k)(4)(H) of title 12.
(vii) Private securities offerings. - The bank -
(I) effects sales as part of a primary offering of
securities not involving a public offering, pursuant to
section 3(b), 4(2), or 4(6) of the Securities Act of 1933
[15 U.S.C. 77c(b), 77d(2), 77d(6)] or the rules and
regulations issued thereunder;
(II) at any time after the date that is 1 year after
November 12, 1999, is not affiliated with a broker or
dealer that has been registered for more than 1 year in
accordance with this chapter, and engages in dealing,
market making, or underwriting activities, other than with
respect to exempted securities; and
(III) if the bank is not affiliated with a broker or
dealer, does not effect any primary offering described in
subclause (I) the aggregate amount of which exceeds 25
percent of the capital of the bank, except that the
limitation of this subclause shall not apply with respect
to any sale of government securities or municipal
securities.
(viii) Safekeeping and custody activities. -
(I) In general. - The bank, as part of customary banking
activities -
(aa) provides safekeeping or custody services with
respect to securities, including the exercise of warrants
and other rights on behalf of customers;
(bb) facilitates the transfer of funds or securities,
as a custodian or a clearing agency, in connection with
the clearance and settlement of its customers'
transactions in securities;
(cc) effects securities lending or borrowing
transactions with or on behalf of customers as part of
services provided to customers pursuant to division (aa)
or (bb) or invests cash collateral pledged in connection
with such transactions;
(dd) holds securities pledged by a customer to another
person or securities subject to purchase or resale
agreements involving a customer, or facilitates the
pledging or transfer of such securities by book entry or
as otherwise provided under applicable law, if the bank
maintains records separately identifying the securities
and the customer; or
(ee) serves as a custodian or provider of other related
administrative services to any individual retirement
account, pension, retirement, profit sharing, bonus,
thrift savings, incentive, or other similar benefit plan.
(II) Exception for carrying broker activities. - The
exception to being considered a broker for a bank engaged
in activities described in subclause (I) shall not apply if
the bank, in connection with such activities, acts in the
United States as a carrying broker (as such term, and
different formulations thereof, are used in section
78o(c)(3) of this title and the rules and regulations
thereunder) for any broker or dealer, unless such carrying
broker activities are engaged in with respect to government
securities (as defined in paragraph (42) of this
subsection).
(ix) Identified banking products. - The bank effects
transactions in identified banking products as defined in
section 206 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.
(x) Municipal securities. - The bank effects transactions
in municipal securities.
(xi) De minimis exception. - The bank effects, other than
in transactions referred to in clauses (i) through (x), not
more than 500 transactions in securities in any calendar
year, and such transactions are not effected by an employee
of the bank who is also an employee of a broker or dealer.
(C) Execution by broker or dealer. - The exception to being
considered a broker for a bank engaged in activities described
in clauses (ii), (iv), and (viii) of subparagraph (B) shall not
apply if the activities described in such provisions result in
the trade in the United States of any security that is a
publicly traded security in the United States, unless -
(i) the bank directs such trade to a registered broker or
dealer for execution;
(ii) the trade is a cross trade or other substantially
similar trade of a security that -
(I) is made by the bank or between the bank and an
affiliated fiduciary; and
(II) is not in contravention of fiduciary principles
established under applicable Federal or State law; or
(iii) the trade is conducted in some other manner permitted
under rules, regulations, or orders as the Commission may
prescribe or issue.
(D) Fiduciary capacity. - For purposes of subparagraph
(B)(ii), the term "fiduciary capacity" means -
(i) in the capacity as trustee, executor, administrator,
registrar of stocks and bonds, transfer agent, guardian,
assignee, receiver, or custodian under a uniform gift to
minor act, or as an investment adviser if the bank receives a
fee for its investment advice;
(ii) in any capacity in which the bank possesses investment
discretion on behalf of another; or
(iii) in any other similar capacity.
(E) Exception for entities subject to section 78o(e). - The
term "broker" does not include a bank that -
(i) was, on the day before November 12, 1999, subject to
section 78o(e) of this title; and
(ii) is subject to such restrictions and requirements as
the Commission considers appropriate.
(F) Joint rulemaking required. - The Commission and the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System shall jointly adopt
a single set of rules or regulations to implement the
exceptions in subparagraph (B).
(5) Dealer. -
(A) In general. - The term "dealer" means any person engaged
in the business of buying and selling securities for such
person's own account through a broker or otherwise.
(B) Exception for person not engaged in the business of
dealing. - The term "dealer" does not include a person that
buys or sells securities for such person's own account, either
individually or in a fiduciary capacity, but not as a part of a
regular business.
(C) Exception for certain bank activities. - A bank shall not
be considered to be a dealer because the bank engages in any of
the following activities under the conditions described:
(i) Permissible securities transactions. - The bank buys or
sells -
(I) commercial paper, bankers acceptances, or commercial
bills;
(II) exempted securities;
(III) qualified Canadian government obligations as
defined in section 24 of title 12, in conformity with
section 78o-5 of this title and the rules and regulations
thereunder, or obligations of the North American
Development Bank; or
(IV) any standardized, credit enhanced debt security
issued by a foreign government pursuant to the March 1989
plan of then Secretary of the Treasury Brady, used by such
foreign government to retire outstanding commercial bank
loans.
(ii) Investment, trustee, and fiduciary transactions. - The
bank buys or sells securities for investment purposes -
(I) for the bank; or
(II) for accounts for which the bank acts as a trustee or
fiduciary.
(iii) Asset-backed transactions. - The bank engages in the
issuance or sale to qualified investors, through a grantor
trust or other separate entity, of securities backed by or
representing an interest in notes, drafts, acceptances,
loans, leases, receivables, other obligations (other than
securities of which the bank is not the issuer), or pools of
any such obligations predominantly originated by -
(I) the bank;
(II) an affiliate of any such bank other than a broker or
dealer; or
(III) a syndicate of banks of which the bank is a member,
if the obligations or pool of obligations consists of
mortgage obligations or consumer-related receivables.
(iv) Identified banking products. - The bank buys or sells
identified banking products, as defined in section 206 of the
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.
(6) The term "bank" means (A) a banking institution organized
under the laws of the United States or a Federal savings
association, as defined in section 1462(5) of title 12, (B) a
member bank of the Federal Reserve System, (C) any other banking
institution or savings association, as defined in section 1462(4)
of title 12, whether incorporated or not, doing business under
the laws of any State or of the United States, a substantial
portion of the business of which consists of receiving deposits
or exercising fiduciary powers similar to those permitted to
national banks under the authority of the Comptroller of the
Currency pursuant to section 92a of title 12, and which is
supervised and examined by State or Federal authority having
supervision over banks or savings associations, and which is not
operated for the purpose of evading the provisions of this
chapter, and (D) a receiver, conservator, or other liquidating
agent of any institution or firm included in clauses (A), (B), or
(C) of this paragraph.
(7) The term "director" means any director of a corporation or
any person performing similar functions with respect to any
organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated.
(8) The term "issuer" means any person who issues or proposes
to issue any security; except that with respect to certificates
of deposit for securities, voting-trust certificates, or
collateral-trust certificates, or with respect to certificates of
interest or shares in an unincorporated investment trust not
having a board of directors or of the fixed, restricted
management, or unit type, the term "issuer" means the person or
persons performing the acts and assuming the duties of depositor
or manager pursuant to the provisions of the trust or other
agreement or instrument under which such securities are issued;
and except that with respect to equipment-trust certificates or
like securities, the term "issuer" means the person by whom the
equipment or property is, or is to be, used.
(9) The term "person" means a natural person, company,
government, or political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality
of a government.
(10) The term "security" means any note, stock, treasury stock,
security future, bond, debenture, certificate of interest or
participation in any profit-sharing agreement or in any oil, gas,
or other mineral royalty or lease, any collateral-trust
certificate, preorganization certificate or subscription,
transferable share, investment contract, voting-trust
certificate, certificate of deposit for a security, any put,
call, straddle, option, or privilege on any security, certificate
of deposit, or group or index of securities (including any
interest therein or based on the value thereof), or any put,
call, straddle, option, or privilege entered into on a national
securities exchange relating to foreign currency, or in general,
any instrument commonly known as a "security"; or any certificate
of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate
for, receipt for, or warrant or right to subscribe to or
purchase, any of the foregoing; but shall not include currency or
any note, draft, bill of exchange, or banker's acceptance which
has a maturity at the time of issuance of not exceeding nine
months, exclusive of days of grace, or any renewal thereof the
maturity of which is likewise limited.
(11) The term "equity security" means any stock or similar
security; or any security future on any such security; or any
security convertible, with or without consideration, into such a
security, or carrying any warrant or right to subscribe to or
purchase such a security; or any such warrant or right; or any
other security which the Commission shall deem to be of similar
nature and consider necessary or appropriate, by such rules and
regulations as it may prescribe in the public interest or for the
protection of investors, to treat as an equity security.
(12)(A) The term "exempted security" or "exempted securities"
includes -
(i) government securities, as defined in paragraph (42) of
this subsection;
(ii) municipal securities, as defined in paragraph (29) of
this subsection;
(iii) any interest or participation in any common trust fund
or similar fund that is excluded from the definition of the
term "investment company" under section 3(c)(3) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(3)];
(iv) any interest or participation in a single trust fund, or
a collective trust fund maintained by a bank, or any security
arising out of a contract issued by an insurance company, which
interest, participation, or security is issued in connection
with a qualified plan as defined in subparagraph (C) of this
paragraph;
(v) any security issued by or any interest or participation
in any pooled income fund, collective trust fund, collective
investment fund, or similar fund that is excluded from the
definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(10)(B)
of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-
3(c)(10)(B)];
(vi) solely for purposes of sections 78l, 78m, 78n, and 78p
of this title, any security issued by or any interest or
participation in any church plan, company, or account that is
excluded from the definition of an investment company under
section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15
U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(14)]; and
(vii) such other securities (which may include, among others,
unregistered securities, the market in which is predominantly
intrastate) as the Commission may, by such rules and
regulations as it deems consistent with the public interest and
the protection of investors, either unconditionally or upon
specified terms and conditions or for stated periods, exempt
from the operation of any one or more provisions of this
chapter which by their terms do not apply to an "exempted
security" or to "exempted securities".
(B)(i) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A)(i) of this paragraph,
government securities shall not be deemed to be "exempted
securities" for the purposes of section 78q-1 of this title.
(ii) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A)(ii) of this paragraph,
municipal securities shall not be deemed to be "exempted
securities" for the purposes of sections 78o and 78q-1 of this
title.
(C) For purposes of subparagraph (A)(iv) of this paragraph, the
term "qualified plan" means (i) a stock bonus, pension, or profit-
sharing plan which meets the requirements for qualification
under section 401 of title 26, (ii) an annuity plan which meets
the requirements for the deduction of the employer's contribution
under section 404(a)(2) of title 26, (iii) a governmental plan as
defined in section 414(d) of title 26 which has been established
by an employer for the exclusive benefit of its employees or
their beneficiaries for the purpose of distributing to such
employees or their beneficiaries the corpus and income of the
funds accumulated under such plan, if under such plan it is
impossible, prior to the satisfaction of all liabilities with
respect to such employees and their beneficiaries, for any part
of the corpus or income to be used for, or diverted to, purposes
other than the exclusive benefit of such employees or their
beneficiaries, or (iv) a church plan, company, or account that is
excluded from the definition of an investment company under
section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C.
80a-3(c)(14)], other than any plan described in clause (i), (ii),
or (iii) of this subparagraph which (I) covers employees some or
all of whom are employees within the meaning of section 401(c) of
title 26, or (II) is a plan funded by an annuity contract
described in section 403(b) of title 26.
(13) The terms "buy" and "purchase" each include any contract
to buy, purchase, or otherwise acquire. For security futures
products, such term includes any contract, agreement, or
transaction for future delivery.
(14) The terms "sale" and "sell" each include any contract to
sell or otherwise dispose of. For security futures products, such
term includes any contract, agreement, or transaction for future
delivery.
(15) The term "Commission" means the Securities and Exchange
Commission established by section 78d of this title.
(16) The term "State" means any State of the United States, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, or any
other possession of the United States.
(17) The term "interstate commerce" means trade, commerce,
transportation, or communication among the several States, or
between any foreign country and any State, or between any State
and any place or ship outside thereof. The term also includes
intrastate use of (A) any facility of a national securities
exchange or of a telephone or other interstate means of
communication, or (B) any other interstate instrumentality.
(18) The term "person associated with a broker or dealer" or
"associated person of a broker or dealer" means any partner,
officer, director, or branch manager of such broker or dealer (or
any person occupying a similar status or performing similar
functions), any person directly or indirectly controlling,
controlled by, or under common control with such broker or
dealer, or any employee of such broker or dealer, except that any
person associated with a broker or dealer whose functions are
solely clerical or ministerial shall not be included in the
meaning of such term for purposes of section 78o(b) of this title
(other than paragraph (6) thereof).
(19) The terms "investment company", "affiliated person",
"insurance company", "separate account", and "company" have the
same meanings as in the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C.
80a-1 et seq.].
(20) The terms "investment adviser" and "underwriter" have the
same meanings as in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 [15
U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.].
(21) The term "person associated with a member" or "associated
person of a member" when used with respect to a member of a
national securities exchange or registered securities association
means any partner, officer, director, or branch manager of such
member (or any person occupying a similar status or performing
similar functions), any person directly or indirectly
controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such
member, or any employee of such member.
(22)(A) The term "securities information processor" means any
person engaged in the business of (i) collecting, processing, or
preparing for distribution or publication, or assisting,
participating in, or coordinating the distribution or publication
of, information with respect to transactions in or quotations for
any security (other than an exempted security) or (ii)
distributing or publishing (whether by means of a ticker tape, a
communications network, a terminal display device, or otherwise)
on a current and continuing basis, information with respect to
such transactions or quotations. The term "securities information
processor" does not include any bona fide newspaper, news
magazine, or business or financial publication of general and
regular circulation, any self-regulatory organizations, any bank,
broker, dealer, building and loan, savings and loan, or homestead
association, or cooperative bank, if such bank, broker, dealer,
association, or cooperative bank would be deemed to be a
securities information processor solely by reason of functions
performed by such institutions as part of customary banking,
brokerage, dealing, association, or cooperative bank activities,
or any common carrier, as defined in section 153 of title 47,
subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications
Commission or a State commission, as defined in section 153 of
title 47, unless the Commission determines that such carrier is
engaged in the business of collecting, processing, or preparing
for distribution or publication, information with respect to
transactions in or quotations for any security.
(B) The term "exclusive processor" means any securities
information processor or self-regulatory organization which,
directly or indirectly, engages on an exclusive basis on behalf
of any national securities exchange or registered securities
association, or any national securities exchange or registered
securities association which engages on an exclusive basis on its
own behalf, in collecting, processing, or preparing for
distribution or publication any information with respect to (i)
transactions or quotations on or effected or made by means of any
facility of such exchange or (ii) quotations distributed or
published by means of any electronic system operated or
controlled by such association.
(23)(A) The term "clearing agency" means any person who acts as
an intermediary in making payments or deliveries or both in
connection with transactions in securities or who provides
facilities for comparison of data respecting the terms of
settlement of securities transactions, to reduce the number of
settlements of securities transactions, or for the allocation of
securities settlement responsibilities. Such term also means any
person, such as a securities depository, who (i) acts as a
custodian of securities in connection with a system for the
central handling of securities whereby all securities of a
particular class or series of any issuer deposited within the
system are treated as fungible and may be transferred, loaned, or
pledged by bookkeeping entry without physical delivery of
securities certificates, or (ii) otherwise permits or facilitates
the settlement of securities transactions or the hypothecation or
lending of securities without physical delivery of securities
certificates.
(B) The term "clearing agency" does not include (i) any Federal
Reserve bank, Federal home loan bank, or Federal land bank; (ii)
any national securities exchange or registered securities
association solely by reason of its providing facilities for
comparison of data respecting the terms of settlement of
securities transactions effected on such exchange or by means of
any electronic system operated or controlled by such association;
(iii) any bank, broker, dealer, building and loan, savings and
loan, or homestead association, or cooperative bank if such bank,
broker, dealer, association, or cooperative bank would be deemed
to be a clearing agency solely by reason of functions performed
by such institution as part of customary banking, brokerage,
dealing, association, or cooperative banking activities, or
solely by reason of acting on behalf of a clearing agency or a
participant therein in connection with the furnishing by the
clearing agency of services to its participants or the use of
services of the clearing agency by its participants, unless the
Commission, by rule, otherwise provides as necessary or
appropriate to assure the prompt and accurate clearance and
settlement of securities transactions or to prevent evasion of
this chapter; (iv) any life insurance company, its registered
separate accounts, or a subsidiary of such insurance company
solely by reason of functions commonly performed by such entities
in connection with variable annuity contracts or variable life
policies issued by such insurance company or its separate
accounts; (v) any registered open-end investment company or unit
investment trust solely by reason of functions commonly performed
by it in connection with shares in such registered open-end
investment company or unit investment trust, or (vi) any person
solely by reason of its performing functions described in
paragraph (25)(E) of this subsection.
(24) The term "participant" when used with respect to a
clearing agency means any person who uses a clearing agency to
clear or settle securities transactions or to transfer, pledge,
lend, or hypothecate securities. Such term does not include a
person whose only use of a clearing agency is (A) through another
person who is a participant or (B) as a pledgee of securities.
(25) The term "transfer agent" means any person who engages on
behalf of an issuer of securities or on behalf of itself as an
issuer of securities in (A) countersigning such securities upon
issuance; (B) monitoring the issuance of such securities with a
view to preventing unauthorized issuance, a function commonly
performed by a person called a registrar; (C) registering the
transfer of such securities; (D) exchanging or converting such
securities; or (E) transferring record ownership of securities by
bookkeeping entry without physical issuance of securities
certificates. The term "transfer agent" does not include any
insurance company or separate account which performs such
functions solely with respect to variable annuity contracts or
variable life policies which it issues or any registered clearing
agency which performs such functions solely with respect to
options contracts which it issues.
(26) The term "self-regulatory organization" means any national
securities exchange, registered securities association, or
registered clearing agency, or (solely for purposes of sections
78s(b), 78s(c), and 78w(b) (!1) of this title) the Municipal
Securities Rulemaking Board established by section 78o-4 of this
title.
(27) The term "rules of an exchange", "rules of an
association", or "rules of a clearing agency" means the
constitution, articles of incorporation, bylaws, and rules, or
instruments corresponding to the foregoing, of an exchange,
association of brokers and dealers, or clearing agency,
respectively, and such of the stated policies, practices, and
interpretations of such exchange, association, or clearing agency
as the Commission, by rule, may determine to be necessary or
appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of
investors to be deemed to be rules of such exchange, association,
or clearing agency.
(28) The term "rules of a self-regulatory organization" means
the rules of an exchange which is a national securities exchange,
the rules of an association of brokers and dealers which is a
registered securities association, the rules of a clearing agency
which is a registered clearing agency, or the rules of the
Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.
(29) The term "municipal securities" means securities which are
direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal
or interest by, a State or any political subdivision thereof, or
any agency or instrumentality of a State or any political
subdivision thereof, or any municipal corporate instrumentality
of one or more States, or any security which is an industrial
development bond (as defined in section 103(c)(2) (!1) of title
26) the interest on which is excludable from gross income under
section 103(a)(1) (!1) of title 26 if, by reason of the
application of paragraph (4) or (6) of section 103(c) (!1) of
title 26 (determined as if paragraphs (4)(A), (5), and (7) were
not included in such section 103(c)),(!1) paragraph (1) of such
section 103(c) (!1) does not apply to such security.
(30) The term "municipal securities dealer" means any person
(including a separately identifiable department or division of a
bank) engaged in the business of buying and selling municipal
securities for his own account, through a broker or otherwise,
but does not include -
(A) any person insofar as he buys or sells such securities
for his own account, either individually or in some fiduciary
capacity, but not as a part of a regular business; or
(B) a bank, unless the bank is engaged in the business of
buying and selling municipal securities for its own account
other than in a fiduciary capacity, through a broker or
otherwise: Provided, however, That if the bank is engaged in
such business through a separately identifiable department or
division (as defined by the Municipal Securities Rulemaking
Board in accordance with section 78o-4(b)(2)(H) of this title),
the department or division and not the bank itself shall be
deemed to be the municipal securities dealer.
(31) The term "municipal securities broker" means a broker
engaged in the business of effecting transactions in municipal
securities for the account of others.
(32) The term "person associated with a municipal securities
dealer" when used with respect to a municipal securities dealer
which is a bank or a division or department of a bank means any
person directly engaged in the management, direction,
supervision, or performance of any of the municipal securities
dealer's activities with respect to municipal securities, and any
person directly or indirectly controlling such activities or
controlled by the municipal securities dealer in connection with
such activities.
(33) The term "municipal securities investment portfolio" means
all municipal securities held for investment and not for sale as
part of a regular business by a municipal securities dealer or by
a person, directly or indirectly, controlling, controlled by, or
under common control with a municipal securities dealer.
(34) The term "appropriate regulatory agency" means -
(A) When used with respect to a municipal securities dealer:
(i) the Comptroller of the Currency, in the case of a
national bank, or a subsidiary or a department or division of
any such bank;
(ii) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
in the case of a State member bank of the Federal Reserve
System, a subsidiary or a department or division thereof, a
bank holding company, a subsidiary of a bank holding company
which is a bank other than a bank specified in clause (i),
(iii), or (iv) of this subparagraph, or a subsidiary or a
department or division of such subsidiary;
(iii) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, in the
case of a bank insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (other than a member of the Federal Reserve
System), or a subsidiary or department or division thereof;
(iv) the Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision, in
the case of a savings association (as defined in section 3(b)
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(b))),
the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation, a subsidiary or a department or
division of any such savings association, or a savings and
loan holding company; and
(v) the Commission in the case of all other municipal
securities dealers.
(B) When used with respect to a clearing agency or transfer
agent:
(i) the Comptroller of the Currency, in the case of a
national bank, or a subsidiary of any such bank;
(ii) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
in the case of a State member bank of the Federal Reserve
System, a subsidiary thereof, a bank holding company, or a
subsidiary of a bank holding company which is a bank other
than a bank specified in clause (i), (iii), or (iv) of this
subparagraph;
(iii) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, in the
case of a bank insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (other than a member of the Federal Reserve
System), or a subsidiary thereof;
(iv) the Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision, in
the case of a savings association (as defined in section 3(b)
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(b))),
the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation, or a subsidiary of any such savings
association, or a savings and loan holding company; and
(v) the Commission in the case of all other clearing
agencies and transfer agents.
(C) When used with respect to a participant or applicant to
become a participant in a clearing agency or a person
requesting or having access to services offered by a clearing
agency:
(i) The Comptroller of the Currency, in the case of a
national bank when the appropriate regulatory agency for such
clearing agency is not the Commission;
(ii) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
in the case of a State member bank of the Federal Reserve
System, a bank holding company, or a subsidiary of a bank
holding company, or a subsidiary of a bank holding company
which is a bank other than a bank specified in clause (i),
(iii), or (iv) of this subparagraph when the appropriate
regulatory agency for such clearing agency is not the
Commission;
(iii) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, in the
case of a bank insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (other than a member of the Federal Reserve
System) when the appropriate regulatory agency for such
clearing agency is not the Commission;
(iv) the Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision, in
the case of a savings association (as defined in section 3(b)
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(b))),
the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation, a savings and loan holding company, or
a subsidiary of a savings and loan holding company when the
appropriate regulatory agency for such clearing agency is not
the Commission; and
(v) the Commission in all other cases.
(D) When used with respect to an institutional investment
manager which is a bank the deposits of which are insured in
accordance with the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C.
1811 et seq.]:
(i) the Comptroller of the Currency, in the case of a
national bank;
(ii) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
in the case of any other member bank of the Federal Reserve
System;
(iii) the Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision, in
the case of a savings association (as defined in section 3(b)
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(b))) the
deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation; and
(iv) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, in the case
of any other insured bank.
(E) When used with respect to a national securities exchange
or registered securities association, member thereof, person
associated with a member thereof, applicant to become a member
thereof or to become associated with a member thereof, or
person requesting or having access to services offered by such
exchange or association or member thereof, or the Municipal
Securities Rulemaking Board, the Commission.
(F) When used with respect to a person exercising investment
discretion with respect to an account;
(i) the Comptroller of the Currency, in the case of a
national bank;
(ii) the Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision, in
the case of a savings association (as defined in section 3(b)
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(b))),
the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation; and
(iii) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
in the case of any other member bank of the Federal Reserve
System;
(iv) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, in the case
of any other bank the deposits of which are insured in
accordance with the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C.
1811 et seq.]; and
(v) the Commission in the case of all other such persons.
(G) When used with respect to a government securities broker
or government securities dealer, or person associated with a
government securities broker or government securities dealer:
(i) the Comptroller of the Currency, in the case of a
national bank or a Federal branch or Federal agency of a
foreign bank (as such terms are used in the International
Banking Act of 1978 [12 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.]);
(ii) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
in the case of a State member bank of the Federal Reserve
System, a foreign bank, an uninsured State branch or State
agency of a foreign bank, a commercial lending company owned
or controlled by a foreign bank (as such terms are used in
the International Banking Act of 1978), or a corporation
organized or having an agreement with the Board of Governors
of the Federal Reserve System pursuant to section 25 or
section 25A of the Federal Reserve Act [12 U.S.C. 601 et
seq., 611 et seq.];
(iii) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, in the
case of a bank insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (other than a member of the Federal Reserve
System or a Federal savings bank) or an insured State branch
of a foreign bank (as such terms are used in the
International Banking Act of 1978);
(iv) the Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision, in
the case of a savings association (as defined in section 3(b)
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C. 1813(b)]) the
deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation; (!2)
(v) the Commission, in the case of all other government
securities brokers and government securities dealers.
(H) When used with respect to an institution described in
subparagraph (D), (F), or (G) of section 1841(c)(2), or held
under section 1843(f) of title 12 -
(i) the Comptroller of the Currency, in the case of a
national bank;
(ii) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
in the case of a State member bank of the Federal Reserve
System or any corporation chartered under section 25A of the
Federal Reserve Act [12 U.S.C. 611 et seq.];
(iii) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, in the
case of any other bank the deposits of which are insured in
accordance with the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C.
1811 et seq.]; or
(iv) the Commission in the case of all other such
institutions.
As used in this paragraph, the terms "bank holding company" and
"subsidiary of a bank holding company" have the meanings given
them in section 1841 of title 12, and the term "District of
Columbia savings and loan association" means any association
subject to examination and supervision by the Office of Thrift
Supervision under section 1466a of title 12. As used in this
paragraph, the term "savings and loan holding company" has the
same meaning as in section 1467a(a) of title 12.
(35) A person exercises "investment discretion" with respect to
an account if, directly or indirectly, such person (A) is
authorized to determine what securities or other property shall
be purchased or sold by or for the account, (B) makes decisions
as to what securities or other property shall be purchased or
sold by or for the account even though some other person may have
responsibility for such investment decisions, or (C) otherwise
exercises such influence with respect to the purchase and sale of
securities or other property by or for the account as the
Commission, by rule, determines, in the public interest or for
the protection of investors, should be subject to the operation
of the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations
thereunder.
(36) A class of persons or markets is subject to "equal
regulation" if no member of the class has a competitive advantage
over any other member thereof resulting from a disparity in their
regulation under this chapter which the Commission determines is
unfair and not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the
purposes of this chapter.
(37) The term "records" means accounts, correspondence,
memorandums, tapes, discs, papers, books, and other documents or
transcribed information of any type, whether expressed in
ordinary or machine language.
(38) The term "market maker" means any specialist permitted to
act as a dealer, any dealer acting in the capacity of block
positioner, and any dealer who, with respect to a security, holds
himself out (by entering quotations in an inter-dealer
communications system or otherwise) as being willing to buy and
sell such security for his own account on a regular or continuous
basis.
(39) A person is subject to a "statutory disqualification" with
respect to membership or participation in, or association with a
member of, a self-regulatory organization, if such person -
(A) has been and is expelled or suspended from membership or
participation in, or barred or suspended from being associated
with a member of, any self-regulatory organization, foreign
equivalent of a self-regulatory organization, foreign or
international securities exchange, contract market designated
pursuant to section 5 of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C.
7), or any substantially equivalent foreign statute or
regulation, or futures association registered under section 17
of such Act (7 U.S.C. 21), or any substantially equivalent
foreign statute or regulation, or has been and is denied
trading privileges on any such contract market or foreign
equivalent;
(B) is subject to -
(i) an order of the Commission, other appropriate
regulatory agency, or foreign financial regulatory authority -
(I) denying, suspending for a period not exceeding 12
months, or revoking his registration as a broker, dealer,
municipal securities dealer, government securities broker,
or government securities dealer or limiting his activities
as a foreign person performing a function substantially
equivalent to any of the above; or
(II) barring or suspending for a period not exceeding 12
months his being associated with a broker, dealer,
municipal securities dealer, government securities broker,
government securities dealer, or foreign person performing
a function substantially equivalent to any of the above;
(ii) an order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
denying, suspending, or revoking his registration under the
Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.); or
(iii) an order by a foreign financial regulatory authority
denying, suspending, or revoking the person's authority to
engage in transactions in contracts of sale of a commodity
for future delivery or other instruments traded on or subject
to the rules of a contract market, board of trade, or foreign
equivalent thereof;
(C) by his conduct while associated with a broker, dealer,
municipal securities dealer, government securities broker, or
government securities dealer, or while associated with an
entity or person required to be registered under the Commodity
Exchange Act, has been found to be a cause of any effective
suspension, expulsion, or order of the character described in
subparagraph (A) or (B) of this paragraph, and in entering such
a suspension, expulsion, or order, the Commission, an
appropriate regulatory agency, or any such self-regulatory
organization shall have jurisdiction to find whether or not any
person was a cause thereof;
(D) by his conduct while associated with any broker, dealer,
municipal securities dealer, government securities broker,
government securities dealer, or any other entity engaged in
transactions in securities, or while associated with an entity
engaged in transactions in contracts of sale of a commodity for
future delivery or other instruments traded on or subject to
the rules of a contract market, board of trade, or foreign
equivalent thereof, has been found to be a cause of any
effective suspension, expulsion, or order by a foreign or
international securities exchange or foreign financial
regulatory authority empowered by a foreign government to
administer or enforce its laws relating to financial
transactions as described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of this
paragraph;
(E) has associated with him any person who is known, or in
the exercise of reasonable care should be known, to him to be a
person described by subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) of this
paragraph; or
(F) has committed or omitted any act, or is subject to an
order or finding, enumerated in subparagraph (D), (E), (H), or
(G) of paragraph (4) of section 78o(b) of this title, has been
convicted of any offense specified in subparagraph (B) of such
paragraph (4) or any other felony within ten years of the date
of the filing of an application for membership or participation
in, or to become associated with a member of, such self-
regulatory organization, is enjoined from any action, conduct,
or practice specified in subparagraph (C) of such paragraph
(4), has willfully made or caused to be made in any application
for membership or participation in, or to become associated
with a member of, a self-regulatory organization, report
required to be filed with a self-regulatory organization, or
proceeding before a self-regulatory organization, any statement
which was at the time, and in the light of the circumstances
under which it was made, false or misleading with respect to
any material fact, or has omitted to state in any such
application, report, or proceeding any material fact which is
required to be stated therein.
(40) The term "financial responsibility rules" means the rules
and regulations of the Commission or the rules and regulations
prescribed by any self-regulatory organization relating to
financial responsibility and related practices which are
designated by the Commission, by rule or regulation, to be
financial responsibility rules.
(41) The term "mortgage related security" means a security that
is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by at least
one nationally recognized statistical rating organization, and
either:
(A) represents ownership of one or more promissory notes or
certificates of interest or participation in such notes
(including any rights designed to assure servicing of, or the
receipt or timeliness of receipt by the holders of such notes,
certificates, or participations of amounts payable under, such
notes, certificates, or participations), which notes:
(i) are directly secured by a first lien on a single parcel
of real estate, including stock allocated to a dwelling unit
in a residential cooperative housing corporation, upon which
is located a dwelling or mixed residential and commercial
structure, on a residential manufactured home as defined in
section 5402(6) of title 42, whether such manufactured home
is considered real or personal property under the laws of the
State in which it is to be located, or on one or more parcels
of real estate upon which is located one or more commercial
structures; and
(ii) were originated by a savings and loan association,
savings bank, commercial bank, credit union, insurance
company, or similar institution which is supervised and
examined by a Federal or State authority, or by a mortgagee
approved by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
pursuant to sections 1709 and 1715b of title 12, or, where
such notes involve a lien on the manufactured home, by any
such institution or by any financial institution approved for
insurance by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
pursuant to section 1703 of title 12; or
(B) is secured by one or more promissory notes or
certificates of interest or participations in such notes (with
or without recourse to the issuer thereof) and, by its terms,
provides for payments of principal in relation to payments, or
reasonable projections of payments, on notes meeting the
requirements of subparagraphs (A)(i) and (ii) or certificates
of interest or participations in promissory notes meeting such
requirements.
For the purpose of this paragraph, the term "promissory note",
when used in connection with a manufactured home, shall also
include a loan, advance, or credit sale as evidence (!3) by a
retail installment sales contract or other instrument.
(42) The term "government securities" means -
(A) securities which are direct obligations of, or
obligations guaranteed as to principal or interest by, the
United States;
(B) securities which are issued or guaranteed by the
Tennessee Valley Authority or by corporations in which the
United States has a direct or indirect interest and which are
designated by the Secretary of the Treasury for exemption as
necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the
protection of investors;
(C) securities issued or guaranteed as to principal or
interest by any corporation the securities of which are
designated, by statute specifically naming such corporation, to
constitute exempt securities within the meaning of the laws
administered by the Commission;
(D) for purposes of sections 78o-5 and 78q-1 of this title,
any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on a security
described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) other than a put,
call, straddle, option, or privilege -
(i) that is traded on one or more national securities
exchanges; or
(ii) for which quotations are disseminated through an
automated quotation system operated by a registered
securities association; or
(E) for purposes of sections 78o, 78o-5, and 78q-1 of this
title as applied to a bank, a qualified Canadian government
obligation as defined in section 24 of title 12.
(43) The term "government securities broker" means any person
regularly engaged in the business of effecting transactions in
government securities for the account of others, but does not
include -
(A) any corporation the securities of which are government
securities under subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (42) of
this subsection; or
(B) any person registered with the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission, any contract market designated by the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission, such contract market's affiliated
clearing organization, or any floor trader on such contract
market, solely because such person effects transactions in
government securities that the Commission, after consultation
with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, has determined
by rule or order to be incidental to such person's futures-
related business.
(44) The term "government securities dealer" means any person
engaged in the business of buying and selling government
securities for his own account, through a broker or otherwise,
but does not include -
(A) any person insofar as he buys or sells such securities
for his own account, either individually or in some fiduciary
capacity, but not as a part of a regular business;
(B) any corporation the securities of which are government
securities under subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (42) of
this subsection;
(C) any bank, unless the bank is engaged in the business of
buying and selling government securities for its own account
other than in a fiduciary capacity, through a broker or
otherwise; or
(D) any person registered with the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission, any contract market designated by the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission, such contract market's affiliated
clearing organization, or any floor trader on such contract
market, solely because such person effects transactions in
government securities that the Commission, after consultation
with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, has determined
by rule or order to be incidental to such person's futures-
related business.
(45) The term "person associated with a government securities
broker or government securities dealer" means any partner,
officer, director, or branch manager of such government
securities broker or government securities dealer (or any person
occupying a similar status or performing similar functions), and
any other employee of such government securities broker or
government securities dealer who is engaged in the management,
direction, supervision, or performance of any activities relating
to government securities, and any person directly or indirectly
controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such
government securities broker or government securities dealer.
(46) The term "financial institution" means -
(A) a bank (as defined in paragraph (6) of this subsection);
(B) a foreign bank (as such term is used in the International
Banking Act of 1978); and
(C) a savings association (as defined in section 3(b) of the
Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C. 1813(b)]) the deposits
of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation.
(47) The term "securities laws" means the Securities Act of
1933 (15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 [15
U.S.C. 7201 et seq.], the Public Utility Holding Company Act of
1935,(!4) the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. 77aaa et
seq.), the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et
seq.), the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b et
seq.) [15 U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.], and the Securities Investor
Protection Act of 1970 (15 U.S.C. 78aaa et seq.).
(48) The term "registered broker or dealer" means a broker or
dealer registered or required to register pursuant to section 78o
or 78o-4 of this title, except that in paragraph (3) of this
subsection and sections 78f and 78o-3 of this title the term
means such a broker or dealer and a government securities broker
or government securities dealer registered or required to
register pursuant to section 78o-5(a)(1)(A) of this title.
(49) The term "person associated with a transfer agent" and
"associated person of a transfer agent" mean any person (except
an employee whose functions are solely clerical or ministerial)
directly engaged in the management, direction, supervision, or
performance of any of the transfer agent's activities with
respect to transfer agent functions, and any person directly or
indirectly controlling such activities or controlled by the
transfer agent in connection with such activities.
(50) The term "foreign securities authority" means any foreign
government, or any governmental body or regulatory organization
empowered by a foreign government to administer or enforce its
laws as they relate to securities matters.
(51)(A) The term "penny stock" means any equity security other
than a security that is -
(i) registered or approved for registration and traded on a
national securities exchange that meets such criteria as the
Commission shall prescribe by rule or regulation for purposes
of this paragraph;
(ii) authorized for quotation on an automated quotation
system sponsored by a registered securities association, if
such system (I) was established and in operation before January
1, 1990, and (II) meets such criteria as the Commission shall
prescribe by rule or regulation for purposes of this paragraph;
(iii) issued by an investment company registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.];
(iv) excluded, on the basis of exceeding a minimum price, net
tangible assets of the issuer, or other relevant criteria, from
the definition of such term by rule or regulation which the
Commission shall prescribe for purposes of this paragraph; or
(v) exempted, in whole or in part, conditionally or
unconditionally, from the definition of such term by rule,
regulation, or order prescribed by the Commission.
(B) The Commission may, by rule, regulation, or order,
designate any equity security or class of equity securities
described in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A) as within the
meaning of the term "penny stock" if such security or class of
securities is traded other than on a national securities exchange
or through an automated quotation system described in clause (ii)
of subparagraph (A).
(C) In exercising its authority under this paragraph to
prescribe rules, regulations, and orders, the Commission shall
determine that such rule, regulation, or order is consistent with
the public interest and the protection of investors.
(52) The term "foreign financial regulatory authority" means
any (A) foreign securities authority, (B) other governmental body
or foreign equivalent of a self-regulatory organization empowered
by a foreign government to administer or enforce its laws
relating to the regulation of fiduciaries, trusts, commercial
lending, insurance, trading in contracts of sale of a commodity
for future delivery, or other instruments traded on or subject to
the rules of a contract market, board of trade, or foreign
equivalent, or other financial activities, or (C) membership
organization a function of which is to regulate participation of
its members in activities listed above.
(53)(A) The term "small business related security" means a
security that is rated in 1 of the 4 highest rating categories by
at least 1 nationally recognized statistical rating organization,
and either -
(i) represents an interest in 1 or more promissory notes or
leases of personal property evidencing the obligation of a
small business concern and originated by an insured depository
institution, insured credit union, insurance company, or
similar institution which is supervised and examined by a
Federal or State authority, or a finance company or leasing
company; or
(ii) is secured by an interest in 1 or more promissory notes
or leases of personal property (with or without recourse to the
issuer or lessee) and provides for payments of principal in
relation to payments, or reasonable projections of payments, on
notes or leases described in clause (i).
(B) For purposes of this paragraph -
(i) an "interest in a promissory note or a lease of personal
property" includes ownership rights, certificates of interest
or participation in such notes or leases, and rights designed
to assure servicing of such notes or leases, or the receipt or
timely receipt of amounts payable under such notes or leases;
(ii) the term "small business concern" means a business that
meets the criteria for a small business concern established by
the Small Business Administration under section 632(a) of this
title;
(iii) the term "insured depository institution" has the same
meaning as in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act
[12 U.S.C. 1813]; and
(iv) the term "insured credit union" has the same meaning as
in section 1752 of title 12.
(54) Qualified investor. -
(A) Definition. - Except as provided in subparagraph (B), for
purposes of this chapter, the term "qualified investor" means -
(i) any investment company registered with the Commission
under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15
U.S.C. 80a-8];
(ii) any issuer eligible for an exclusion from the
definition of investment company pursuant to section 3(c)(7)
of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-
3(c)(7)];
(iii) any bank (as defined in paragraph (6) of this
subsection), savings association (as defined in section 3(b)
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act [12 U.S.C. 1813(b)]),
broker, dealer, insurance company (as defined in section
2(a)(13) of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C.
77b(a)(13)]), or business development company (as defined in
section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15
U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(48)]);
(iv) any small business investment company licensed by the
United States Small Business Administration under section
301(c) [15 U.S.C. 681(c)] or (d) (!5) of the Small Business
Investment Act of 1958;
(v) any State sponsored employee benefit plan, or any other
employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 [29 U.S.C. 1001 et
seq.], other than an individual retirement account, if the
investment decisions are made by a plan fiduciary, as defined
in section 3(21) of that Act [29 U.S.C. 1002(21)], which is
either a bank, savings and loan association, insurance
company, or registered investment adviser;
(vi) any trust whose purchases of securities are directed
by a person described in clauses (i) through (v) of this
subparagraph;
(vii) any market intermediary exempt under section 3(c)(2)
of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-
3(c)(2)];
(viii) any associated person of a broker or dealer other
than a natural person;
(ix) any foreign bank (as defined in section 1(b)(7) of the
International Banking Act of 1978 [12 U.S.C. 3101(7)]);
(x) the government of any foreign country;
(xi) any corporation, company, or partnership that owns and
invests on a discretionary basis, not less than $25,000,000
in investments;
(xii) any natural person who owns and invests on a
discretionary basis, not less than $25,000,000 in
investments;
(xiii) any government or political subdivision, agency, or
instrumentality of a government who owns and invests on a
discretionary basis not less than $50,000,000 in investments;
or
(xiv) any multinational or supranational entity or any
agency or instrumentality thereof.
(B) Altered thresholds for asset-backed securities and loan
participations. - For purposes of subsection (a)(5)(C)(iii) of
this section and section 206(a)(5) of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley
Act, the term "qualified investor" has the meaning given such
term by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph except that clauses
(xi) and (xii) shall be applied by substituting "$10,000,000"
for "$25,000,000".
(C) Additional authority. - The Commission may, by rule or
order, define a "qualified investor" as any other person,
taking into consideration such factors as the financial
sophistication of the person, net worth, and knowledge and
experience in financial matters.
(55)(A) The term "security future" means a contract of sale for
future delivery of a single security or of a narrow-based
security index, including any interest therein or based on the
value thereof, except an exempted security under paragraph (12)
of this subsection as in effect on January 11, 1983 (other than
any municipal security as defined in paragraph (29) of this
subsection as in effect on January 11, 1983). The term "security
future" does not include any agreement, contract, or transaction
excluded from the Commodity Exchange Act [7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.]
under section 2(c), 2(d), 2(f), or 2(g) of the Commodity Exchange
Act [7 U.S.C. 2(c), (d), (f), (g)] (as in effect on December 21,
2000) or sections 27 to 27f of title 7.
(B) The term "narrow-based security index" means an index -
(i) that has 9 or fewer component securities;
(ii) in which a component security comprises more than 30
percent of the index's weighting;
(iii) in which the five highest weighted component securities
in the aggregate comprise more than 60 percent of the index's
weighting; or
(iv) in which the lowest weighted component securities
comprising, in the aggregate, 25 percent of the index's
weighting have an aggregate dollar value of average daily
trading volume of less than $50,000,000 (or in the case of an
index with 15 or more component securities, $30,000,000),
except that if there are two or more securities with equal
weighting that could be included in the calculation of the
lowest weighted component securities comprising, in the
aggregate, 25 percent of the index's weighting, such securities
shall be ranked from lowest to highest dollar value of average
daily trading volume and shall be included in the calculation
based on their ranking starting with the lowest ranked
security.
(C) Notwithstanding subparagraph (B), an index is not a narrow-
based security index if -
(i)(I) it has at least nine component securities;
(II) no component security comprises more than 30 percent of
the index's weighting; and
(III) each component security is -
(aa) registered pursuant to section 78l of this title;
(bb) one of 750 securities with the largest market
capitalization; and
(cc) one of 675 securities with the largest dollar value of
average daily trading volume;
(ii) a board of trade was designated as a contract market by
the Commodity Futures Trading Commission with respect to a
contract of sale for future delivery on the index, before
December 21, 2000;
(iii)(I) a contract of sale for future delivery on the index
traded on a designated contract market or registered
derivatives transaction execution facility for at least 30 days
as a contract of sale for future delivery on an index that was
not a narrow-based security index; and
(II) it has been a narrow-based security index for no more
than 45 business days over 3 consecutive calendar months;
(iv) a contract of sale for future delivery on the index is
traded on or subject to the rules of a foreign board of trade
and meets such requirements as are jointly established by rule
or regulation by the Commission and the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission;
(v) no more than 18 months have passed since December 21,
2000, and -
(I) it is traded on or subject to the rules of a foreign
board of trade;
(II) the offer and sale in the United States of a contract
of sale for future delivery on the index was authorized
before December 21, 2000; and
(III) the conditions of such authorization continue to be
met; or
(vi) a contract of sale for future delivery on the index is
traded on or subject to the rules of a board of trade and meets
such requirements as are jointly established by rule,
regulation, or order by the Commission and the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission.
(D) Within 1 year after December 21, 2000, the Commission and
the Commodity Futures Trading Commission jointly shall adopt
rules or regulations that set forth the requirements under clause
(iv) of subparagraph (C).
(E) An index that is a narrow-based security index solely
because it was a narrow-based security index for more than 45
business days over 3 consecutive calendar months pursuant to
clause (iii) of subparagraph (C) shall not be a narrow-based
security index for the 3 following calendar months.
(F) For purposes of subparagraphs (B) and (C) of this paragraph
-
(i) the dollar value of average daily trading volume and the
market capitalization shall be calculated as of the preceding 6
full calendar months; and
(ii) the Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission shall, by rule or regulation, jointly specify the
method to be used to determine market capitalization and dollar
value of average daily trading volume.
(56) The term "security futures product" means a security
future or any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any
security future.
(57)(A) The term "margin", when used with respect to a security
futures product, means the amount, type, and form of collateral
required to secure any extension or maintenance of credit, or the
amount, type, and form of collateral required as a performance
bond related to the purchase, sale, or carrying of a security
futures product.
(B) The terms "margin level" and "level of margin", when used
with respect to a security futures product, mean the amount of
margin required to secure any extension or maintenance of credit,
or the amount of margin required as a performance bond related to
the purchase, sale, or carrying of a security futures product.
(C) The terms "higher margin level" and "higher level of
margin", when used with respect to a security futures product,
mean a margin level established by a national securities exchange
registered pursuant to section 78f(g) of this title that is
higher than the minimum amount established and in effect pursuant
to section 78g(c)(2)(B) of this title.
(58) Audit committee. - The term "audit committee" means -
(A) a committee (or equivalent body) established by and
amongst the board of directors of an issuer for the purpose of
overseeing the accounting and financial reporting processes of
the issuer and audits of the financial statements of the
issuer; and
(B) if no such committee exists with respect to an issuer,
the entire board of directors of the issuer.
(59) Registered public accounting firm. - The term "registered
public accounting firm" has the same meaning as in section 2 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 [15 U.S.C. 7201].
(60) Credit rating. - The term "credit rating" means an
assessment of the creditworthiness of an obligor as an entity or
with respect to specific securities or money market instruments.
(61) Credit rating agency. - The term "credit rating agency"
means any person -
(A) engaged in the business of issuing credit ratings on the
Internet or through another readily accessible means, for free
or for a reasonable fee, but does not include a commercial
credit reporting company;
(B) employing either a quantitative or qualitative model, or
both, to determine credit ratings; and
(C) receiving fees from either issuers, investors, or other
market participants, or a combination thereof.
(62) Nationally recognized statistical rating organization. -
The term "nationally recognized statistical rating organization"
means a credit rating agency that -
(A) has been in business as a credit rating agency for at
least the 3 consecutive years immediately preceding the date of
its application for registration under section 78o-7 of this
title;
(B) issues credit ratings certified by qualified
institutional buyers, in accordance with section 78o-
7(a)(1)(B)(ix) of this title, with respect to -
(i) financial institutions, brokers, or dealers;
(ii) insurance companies;
(iii) corporate issuers;
(iv) issuers of asset-backed securities (as that term is
defined in section 1101(c) of part 229 of title 17, Code of
Federal Regulations, as in effect on September 29, 2006);
(v) issuers of government securities, municipal securities,
or securities issued by a foreign government; or
(vi) a combination of one or more categories of obligors
described in any of clauses (i) through (v); and
(C) is registered under section 78o-7 of this title.
(63) Person associated with a nationally recognized statistical
rating organization. - The term "person associated with" a
nationally recognized statistical rating organization means any
partner, officer, director, or branch manager of a nationally
recognized statistical rating organization (or any person
occupying a similar status or performing similar functions), any
person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or
under common control with a nationally recognized statistical
rating organization, or any employee of a nationally recognized
statistical rating organization.
(64) Qualified institutional buyer. - The term "qualified
institutional buyer" has the meaning given such term in section
230.144A(a) of title 17, Code of Federal Regulations, or any
successor thereto.
(b) Power to define technical, trade, accounting, and other terms
The Commission and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, as to matters within their respective jurisdictions, shall
have power by rules and regulations to define technical, trade,
accounting, and other terms used in this chapter, consistently with
the provisions and purposes of this chapter.
(c) Application to governmental departments or agencies
No provision of this chapter shall apply to, or be deemed to
include, any executive department or independent establishment of
the United States, or any lending agency which is wholly owned,
directly or indirectly, by the United States, or any officer,
agent, or employee of any such department, establishment, or
agency, acting in the course of his official duty as such, unless
such provision makes specific reference to such department,
establishment, or agency.
(d) Issuers of municipal securities
No issuer of municipal securities or officer or employee thereof
acting in the course of his official duties as such shall be deemed
to be a "broker", "dealer", or "municipal securities dealer" solely
by reason of buying, selling, or effecting transactions in the
issuer's securities.
(e) Charitable organizations
(1) Exemption
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, but
subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a charitable
organization, as defined in section 3(c)(10)(D) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(10)(D)], or any trustee,
director, officer, employee, or volunteer of such a charitable
organization acting within the scope of such person's employment
or duties with such organization, shall not be deemed to be a
"broker", "dealer", "municipal securities broker", "municipal
securities dealer", "government securities broker", or
"government securities dealer" for purposes of this chapter
solely because such organization or person buys, holds, sells, or
trades in securities for its own account in its capacity as
trustee or administrator of, or otherwise on behalf of or for the
account of -
(A) such a charitable organization;
(B) a fund that is excluded from the definition of an
investment company under section 3(c)(10)(B) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(10)(B)]; or
(C) a trust or other donative instrument described in section
3(c)(10)(B) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C.
80a-3(c)(10)(B)], or the settlors (or potential settlors) or
beneficiaries of any such trust or other instrument.
(2) Limitation on compensation
The exemption provided under paragraph (1) shall not be
available to any charitable organization, or any trustee,
director, officer, employee, or volunteer of such a charitable
organization, unless each person who, on or after 90 days after
December 8, 1995, solicits donations on behalf of such charitable
organization from any donor to a fund that is excluded from the
definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(10)(B) of
the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(10)(B)],
is either a volunteer or is engaged in the overall fund raising
activities of a charitable organization and receives no
commission or other special compensation based on the number or
the value of donations collected for the fund.
(f) Consideration of promotion of efficiency, competition, and
capital formation
Whenever pursuant to this chapter the Commission is engaged in
rulemaking, or in the review of a rule of a self-regulatory
organization, and is required to consider or determine whether an
action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, the
Commission shall also consider, in addition to the protection of
investors, whether the action will promote efficiency, competition,
and capital formation.
(g) Church plans
No church plan described in section 414(e) of title 26, no person
or entity eligible to establish and maintain such a plan under
title 26, no company or account that is excluded from the
definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(14)], and no
trustee, director, officer or employee of or volunteer for such
plan, company, account person, or entity, acting within the scope
of that person's employment or activities with respect to such
plan, shall be deemed to be a "broker", "dealer", "municipal
securities broker", "municipal securities dealer", "government
securities broker", "government securities dealer", "clearing
agency", or "transfer agent" for purposes of this chapter -
(1) solely because such plan, company, person, or entity buys,
holds, sells, trades in, or transfers securities or acts as an
intermediary in making payments in connection with transactions
in securities for its own account in its capacity as trustee or
administrator of, or otherwise on behalf of, or for the account
of, any church plan, company, or account that is excluded from
the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of
the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)(14)]; and
(2) if no such person or entity receives a commission or other
transaction-related sales compensation in connection with any
activities conducted in reliance on the exemption provided by
this subsection.
SOURCE
(June 6, 1934, ch. 404, title I, Sec. 3, 48 Stat. 882; Aug. 23,
1935, ch. 614, Sec. 203(a), 49 Stat. 704; Proc. No. 2695, eff. July
4, 1946, 11 F.R. 7517, 60 Stat. 1352; Pub. L. 86-70, Sec. 12(b),
June 25, 1959, 73 Stat. 143; Pub. L. 86-624, Sec. 7(b), July 12,
1960, 74 Stat. 412; Pub. L. 88-467, Sec. 2, Aug. 20, 1964, 78 Stat.
565; Pub. L. 91-373, title IV, Sec. 401(b), Aug. 10, 1970, 84 Stat.
718; Pub. L. 91-547, Sec. 28(a), (b), Dec. 14, 1970, 84 Stat. 1435;
Pub. L. 91-567, Sec. 6(b), Dec. 22, 1970, 84 Stat. 1499; Pub. L. 94-
29, Sec. 3, June 4, 1975, 89 Stat. 97; Pub. L. 95-283, Sec. 16,
May 21, 1978, 92 Stat. 274; Pub. L. 96-477, title VII, Sec. 702,
Oct. 21, 1980, 94 Stat. 2295; Pub. L. 97-303, Sec. 2, Oct. 13,
1982, 96 Stat. 1409; Pub. L. 98-376, Sec. 6(a), Aug. 10, 1984, 98
Stat. 1265; Pub. L. 98-440, title I, Sec. 101, Oct. 3, 1984, 98
Stat. 1689; Pub. L. 99-514, Sec. 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095;
Pub. L. 99-571, title I, Sec. 102(a)-(d), Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat.
3214-3216; Pub. L. 100-181, title III, Secs. 301-306, Dec. 4, 1987,
101 Stat. 1253, 1254; Pub. L. 100-704, Sec. 6(a), Nov. 19, 1988,
102 Stat. 4681; Pub. L. 101-73, title VII, Sec. 744(u)(1), Aug. 9,
1989, 103 Stat. 441; Pub. L. 101-429, title V, Sec. 503, Oct. 15,
1990, 104 Stat. 952; Pub. L. 101-550, title II, Secs. 203(b), 204,
Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2717, 2718; Pub. L. 103-202, title I,
Secs. 106(b)(2)(A), 109(a), Dec. 17, 1993, 107 Stat. 2350, 2352;
Pub. L. 103-325, title II, Sec. 202, title III, Sec. 347(a), Sept.
23, 1994, 108 Stat. 2198, 2241; Pub. L. 104-62, Sec. 4(a), (b),
Dec. 8, 1995, 109 Stat. 684; Pub. L. 104-290, title I, Sec. 106(b),
title V, Sec. 508(c), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3424, 3447; Pub. L.
105-353, title III, Sec. 301(b)(1)-(4), Nov. 3, 1998, 112 Stat.
3235, 3236; Pub. L. 106-102, title II, Secs. 201, 202, 207, 208,
221(b), 231(b)(1), Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1385, 1390, 1394, 1395,
1401, 1406; Pub. L. 106-554, Sec. 1(a)(5) [title II, Sec. 201],
Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A-413; Pub. L. 107-204, Sec.
2(b), title II, Sec. 205(a), title VI, Sec. 604(c)(1)(A), July 30,
2002, 116 Stat. 749, 773, 796; Pub. L. 108-359, Sec. 1(c)(1), Oct.
25, 2004, 118 Stat. 1666; Pub. L. 108-386, Sec. 8(f)(1)-(3), Oct.
30, 2004, 118 Stat. 2232; Pub. L. 108-447, div. H, title V, Sec.
520(1), Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 3267; Pub. L. 109-291, Sec. 3(a),
Sept. 29, 2006, 120 Stat. 1328; Pub. L. 109-351, title I, Sec.
101(a)(1), title IV, Sec. 401(a)(1), (2), Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat.
1968, 1971, 1972.)
REFERENCES IN TEXT
This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a), (b), (c), (e)(1), (f),
and (g), was in the original "this title". See References in Text
note set out under section 78a of this title.
The Investment Company Act of 1940, referred to in subsec.
(a)(4)(B)(v), (19), (47), (51)(A)(iii), is title I of act Aug. 20,
1940, ch. 686, 54 Stat. 789, as amended, which is classified
generally to subchapter I (Sec. 80a-1 et seq.) of chapter 2D of
this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code,
see section 80a-51 of this title and Tables.
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a)(4)(B)(vii)(II), was in
the original "this Act". See References in Text note set out under
section 78a of this title.
Section 206 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, referred to in subsec.
(a)(4)(B)(ix), (5)(C)(iv), (54)(B), is section 206 of Pub. L. 106-
102, which is set out as a note below.
The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, referred to in subsec.
(a)(20), (47), is title II of act Aug. 20, 1940, ch. 686, 54 Stat.
847, as amended, which is classified generally to subchapter II
(Sec. 80b-1 et seq.) of chapter 2D of this title. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see section 80b-20 of this
title and Tables.
Section 78w(b) of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(26), was
omitted from the Code.
Section 103 of title 26, referred to in subsec. (a)(29), which
related to interest on certain governmental obligations, was
amended generally by Pub. L. 99-514, title XIII, Sec. 1301(a), Oct.
22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2602, and, as so amended, relates to interest
on State and local bonds. Section 103(b)(2) (formerly section
103(c)(2)), which prior to the general amendment defined industrial
development bond, relates to the applicability of the interest
exclusion to arbitrage bonds.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Act, referred to in subsec.
(a)(34)(D), (F)(iii), (H)(iii), is act Sept. 21, 1950, ch. 967,
Sec. 2, 64 Stat. 873, as amended, which is classified generally to
chapter 16 (Sec. 1811 et seq.) of Title 12, Banks and Banking. For
complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title
note set out under section 1811 of Title 12 and Tables.
The International Banking Act of 1978, referred to in subsec.
(a)(34)(G)(i) to (iii), (46)(B), is Pub. L. 95-369, Sept. 17, 1978,
92 Stat. 607, which enacted sections 347d, 611a, and 3101 to 3111
of Title 12, amended sections 72, 378, 614, 615, 618, 619, 1813,
1815, 1817, 1818, 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1828, 1829b, 1831b, and
1841 of Title 12, and enacted provisions set out as notes under
sections 36, 247, 601, 611a, and 3101 of Title 12. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set
out under section 3101 of Title 12 and Tables.
Section 25 of the Federal Reserve Act, referred to in subsec.
(a)(34)(G)(ii), is classified to subchapter I (Sec. 601 et seq.) of
chapter 6 of Title 12, Banks and Banking. Section 25A of the
Federal Reserve Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(34)(G)(ii),
(H)(ii), is classified to subchapter II (Sec. 611 et seq.) of
chapter 6 of Title 12.
The Commodity Exchange Act, referred to in subsec.
(a)(39)(B)(ii), (C), (55)(A), is act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 369, 42
Stat. 998, as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 1
(Sec. 1 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1 of Title 7
and Tables.
The Securities Act of 1933, referred to in subsec. (a)(47), is
act May 27, 1933, ch. 38, title I, 48 Stat. 74, as amended, which
is classified generally to subchapter I (Sec. 77a et seq.) of
chapter 2A of this title. For complete classification of this Act
to the Code, see section 77a of this title and Tables.
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, referred to in subsec.
(a)(47), is act June 6, 1934, ch. 404, 48 Stat. 881, as amended,
which is classified generally to this chapter (Sec. 78a et seq.).
For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section
78a of this title and Tables.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, referred to in subsec. (a)(47),
is Pub. L. 107-204, July 30, 2002, 1974, 116 Stat. 745, which is
classified principally to chapter 98 (Sec. 7201 et seq.) of this
title. Section 2 of the Act enacted section 7201 of this title and
amended this section. For complete classification of this Act to
the Code, see Tables.
The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, referred to in
subsec. (a)(47), is title I of act Aug. 26, 1935, ch. 687, 49 Stat.
803, as amended, which was classified generally to chapter 2C (Sec.
79 et seq.) of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 109-58, title
XII, Sec. 1263, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 974. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.
The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, referred to in subsec. (a)(47),
is title III of act May 27, 1933, ch. 38, as added Aug. 3, 1939,
ch. 411, 53 Stat. 1149, as amended, which is classified generally
to subchapter III (Sec. 77aaa et seq.) of chapter 2A of this title.
For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section
77aaa of this title and Tables.
The Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970, referred to in
subsec. (a)(47), is Pub. L. 91-598, Dec. 30, 1970, 84 Stat. 1636,
as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 2B-1 (Sec.
78aaa et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this
Act to the Code, see section 78aaa of this title and Tables.
Section 301(d) of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958,
referred to in subsec. (a)(54)(A)(iv), was classified to section
681(d) of this title and was repealed by Pub. L. 104-208, div. D,
title II, Sec. 208(b)(3)(A), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009-742.
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, referred to
in subsec. (a)(54)(A)(v), is Pub. L. 93-406, Sept. 2, 1974, 88
Stat. 832, as amended, which is classified principally to chapter
18 (Sec. 1001 et seq.) of Title 29, Labor. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set
out under section 1001 of Title 29 and Tables.
CODIFICATION
Words "Philippine Islands" deleted from definition of term
"State" in subsec. (a)(16) under authority of Proc. No. 2695, which
granted independence to the Philippine Islands. Proc. No. 2695 was
issued pursuant to section 1394 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and
Intercourse, and is set out as a note under that section.
AMENDMENTS
2006 - Subsec. (a)(4)(F). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec. 101(a)(1), added
subpar. (F).
Subsec. (a)(6)(A). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec. 401(a)(1)(A), inserted
"or a Federal savings association, as defined in section 1462(5) of
title 12" after "a banking institution organized under the laws of
the United States".
Subsec. (a)(6)(C). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec. 401(a)(1)(B), inserted
"or savings association, as defined in section 1462(4) of title 12"
after "other banking institution" and "or savings associations"
after "having supervision over banks".
Subsec. (a)(34). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec. 401(a)(2)(G), inserted at
end of concluding provisions "As used in this paragraph, the term
'savings and loan holding company' has the same meaning as in
section 1467a(a) of title 12."
Subsec. (a)(34)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec. 401(a)(2)(A)(i),
substituted "clause (i), (iii), or (iv)" for "clause (i) or (iii)".
Subsec. (a)(34)(A)(iv), (v). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec.
401(a)(2)(A)(ii)-(iv), added cl. (iv) and redesignated former cl.
(iv) as (v).
Subsec. (a)(34)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec. 401(a)(2)(B)(i),
substituted "clause (i), (iii), or (iv)" for "clause (i) or (iii)".
Subsec. (a)(34)(B)(iv), (v). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec.
401(a)(2)(B)(ii)-(iv), added cl. (iv) and redesignated former cl.
(iv) as (v).
Subsec. (a)(34)(C)(ii). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec. 401(a)(2)(C)(i),
substituted "clause (i), (iii), or (iv)" for "clause (i) or (iii)".
Subsec. (a)(34)(C)(iv), (v). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec.
401(a)(2)(C)(ii)-(iv), added cl. (iv) and redesignated former cl.
(iv) as (v).
Subsec. (a)(34)(D)(iii), (iv). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec.
401(a)(2)(D), added cl. (iii) and redesignated former cl. (iii) as
(iv).
Subsec. (a)(34)(F)(ii) to (v). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec.
401(a)(2)(E), added cl. (ii) and redesignated former cls. (ii) to
(iv) as (iii) to (v), respectively.
Subsec. (a)(34)(H). Pub. L. 109-351, Sec. 401(a)(2)(F), moved
subpar. (H) and inserted it immediately after subpar. (G).
Subsec. (a)(60) to (64). Pub. L. 109-291 added pars. (60) to
(64).
2004 - Subsec. (a)(12)(C)(iv). Pub. L. 108-359 added cl. (iv).
Subsec. (a)(34)(A)(i), (B)(i), (C)(i), (D)(i), (F)(i). Pub. L.
108-386, Sec. 8(f)(1), struck out "or a bank operating under the
Code of Law for the District of Columbia" after "national bank".
Subsec. (a)(34)(G)(i). Pub. L. 108-386, Sec. 8(f)(2), struck out
", a bank in the District of Columbia examined by the Comptroller
of the Currency," after "national bank".
Subsec. (a)(34)(H)(i). Pub. L. 108-386, Sec. 8(f)(3), struck out
"or a bank in the District of Columbia examined by the Comptroller
of the Currency" after "national bank".
Subsec. (a)(42)(B). Pub. L. 108-447 inserted "by the Tennessee
Valley Authority or" after "issued or guaranteed".
2002 - Subsec. (a)(39)(F). Pub. L. 107-204, Sec. 604(c)(1)(A),
inserted ", or is subject to an order or finding," before
"enumerated" and substituted "(H), or (G)" for "or (G)".
Subsec. (a)(47). Pub. L. 107-204, Sec. 2(b), inserted "the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002," before "the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 1935".
Subsec. (a)(58), (59). Pub. L. 107-204, Sec. 205(a), added pars.
(58) and (59).
2000 - Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 106-554, Sec. 1(a)(5) [title II,
Sec. 201(1)], inserted "security future," after "treasury stock,".
Subsec. (a)(11). Pub. L. 106-554, Sec. 1(a)(5) [title II, Sec.
201(2)], added par. (11) and struck out former par. (11) which read
as follows: "The term 'equity security' means any stock or similar
security; or any security convertible, with or without
consideration, into such a security, or carrying any warrant or
right to subscribe to or purchase such a security; or any such
warrant or right; or any other security which the Commission shall
deem to be of similar nature and consider necessary or appropriate,
by such rules and regulations as it may prescribe in the public
interest or for the protection of investors, to treat as an equity
security."
Subsec. (a)(13), (14). Pub. L. 106-554, Sec. 1(a)(5) [title II,
Sec. 201(3), (4)], inserted at end "For security futures products,
such term includes any contract, agreement, or transaction for
future delivery."
Subsec. (a)(55) to (57). Pub. L. 106-554, Sec. 1(a)(5) [title II,
Sec. 201(5)], added pars. (55) to (57).
1999 - Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 106-102, Sec. 201, inserted
heading and amended text of par. (4) generally. Prior to amendment,
text read as follows: "The term 'broker' means any person engaged
in the business of effecting transactions in securities for the
account of others, but does not include a bank."
Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 106-102, Sec. 202, inserted heading and
amended text of par. (5) generally. Prior to amendment, text read
as follows: "The term 'dealer' means any person engaged in the
business of buying and selling securities for his own account,
through a broker or otherwise, but does not include a bank, or any
person insofar as he buys or sells securities for his own account,
either individually or in some fiduciary capacity, but not as a
part of a regular business."
Subsec. (a)(12)(A)(iii). Pub. L. 106-102, Sec. 221(b), amended
cl. (iii) generally. Prior to amendment, cl. (iii) read as follows:
"any interest or participation in any common trust fund or similar
fund maintained by a bank exclusively for the collective investment
and reinvestment of assets contributed thereto by such bank in its
capacity as trustee, executor, administrator, or guardian;".
Subsec. (a)(34)(H). Pub. L. 106-102, Sec. 231(b)(1), added
subpar. (H) at end of par. (34).
Subsec. (a)(42)(E). Pub. L. 106-102, Sec. 208, added subpar. (E).
Subsec. (a)(54). Pub. L. 106-102, Sec. 207, added par. (54).
1998 - Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 105-353, Sec. 301(b)(1),
substituted "deposit for" for "deposit, for".
Subsec. (a)(12)(A)(vi). Pub. L. 105-353, Sec. 301(b)(2),
realigned margins.
Subsec. (a)(22)(A). Pub. L. 105-353, Sec. 301(b)(3), substituted
"section 153" for "section 153(h)" and for "section 153(t)".
Subsec. (a)(39)(B)(i). Pub. L. 105-353, Sec. 301(b)(4),
substituted "of the Commission" for "to the Commission" in
introductory provisions.
1996 - Subsec. (a)(12)(A)(vi), (vii). Pub. L. 104-290, Sec.
508(c)(1), added cl. (vi) and redesignated former cl. (vi) as
(vii).
Subsecs. (f), (g). Pub. L. 104-290, Secs. 106(b), 508(c)(2),
added subsecs. (f) and (g), respectively.
1995 - Subsec. (a)(12)(A)(iv) to (vi). Pub. L. 104-62, Sec. 4(a),
struck out "and" at end of cl. (iv), added cl. (v), and
redesignated former cl. (v) as (vi).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 104-62, Sec. 4(b), added subsec. (e).
1994 - Subsec. (a)(41)(A)(i). Pub. L. 103-325, Sec. 347(a),
substituted "on a residential" for "or on a residential" and
inserted before semicolon ", or on one or more parcels of real
estate upon which is located one or more commercial structures".
Subsec. (a)(53). Pub. L. 103-325, Sec. 202, added par. (53).
1993 - Subsec. (a)(12)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 103-202, Sec.
106(b)(2)(A), substituted "sections 78o and 78q-1" for "sections
78o, 78o-3 (other than subsection (g)(3)), and 78q-1".
Subsec. (a)(34)(G)(ii) to (iv). Pub. L. 103-202, Sec. 109(a)(1),
amended cls. (ii) to (iv) generally. Prior to amendment, cls. (ii)
to (iv) read as follows:
"(ii) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in
the case of a State member bank of the Federal Reserve System, a
foreign bank, a State branch or a State agency of a foreign bank,
or a commercial lending company owned or controlled by a foreign
bank (as such terms are used in the International Banking Act of
1978);
"(iii) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, in the case of
a bank insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (other
than a member of the Federal Reserve System or a Federal savings
bank);
"(iv) the Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision, in the
case of a savings association the deposits of which are insured by
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation;".
Subsec. (a)(46). Pub. L. 103-202, Sec. 109(a)(2), amended par.
(46) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (46) read as follows: "The
term 'financial institution' means (A) a bank (as such term is
defined in paragraph (6) of this subsection), (B) a foreign bank,
and (C) an insured institution (as such term is defined in section
1724 of title 12)."
Subsec. (a)(52). Pub. L. 103-202, Sec. 109(a)(3), redesignated
par. (51) defining "foreign financial regulatory authority" as
(52).
1990 - Subsec. (a)(39)(A). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 203(b)(1),
inserted "foreign equivalent of a self-regulatory organization,
foreign or international securities exchange," after "self-
regulatory organization,", "or any substantially equivalent
foreign statute or regulation," after "(7 U.S.C. 7)," and "(7
U.S.C. 21),", and "or foreign equivalent" after "contract market".
Subsec. (a)(39)(B). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 203(b)(2), added
subpar. (B) and struck out former subpar. (B) which read as
follows: "is subject to an order of the Commission or other
appropriate regulatory agency denying, suspending for a period not
exceeding twelve months, or revoking his registration as a broker,
dealer, municipal securities dealer, government securities broker,
or government securities dealer, or barring or suspending for a
period not exceeding 12 months his being associated with a broker,
dealer, municipal securities dealer, government securities broker,
or government securities dealer, or is subject to an order of the
Commodity Futures Trading Commission denying, suspending, or
revoking his registration under the Commodity Exchange Act (7
U.S.C. 1 et seq.);".
Subsec. (a)(39)(D). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 203(b)(4), added
subpar. (D). Former subpar. (D) redesignated (E).
Subsec. (a)(39)(E). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 203(b)(3), (5),
redesignated subpar. (D) as (E) and substituted "(A), (B), (C), or
(D)" for "(A), (B), or (C)". Former subpar. (E) redesignated (F).
Subsec. (a)(39)(F). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 203(b)(3), (6),
redesignated subpar. (E) as (F), substituted "(D), (E), or (G)" for
"(D) or (E)", and inserted "or any other felony" before "within ten
years".
Subsec. (a)(51). Pub. L. 101-550, Sec. 204, added par. (51)
defining "foreign financial regulatory authority".
Pub. L. 101-429 added par. (51) defining "penny stock".
1989 - Subsec. (a)(34). Pub. L. 101-73, Sec. 744(u)(1)(B),
substituted "Office of Thrift Supervision" for "Federal Home Loan
Bank Board" in concluding provisions.
Subsec. (a)(34)(G)(iv) to (vi). Pub. L. 101-73, Sec.
744(u)(1)(A), added cl. (iv), redesignated cl. (vi) as (v), and
struck out former cls. (iv) and (v) which read as follows:
"(iv) the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, in the case of a Federal
savings and loan association, Federal savings bank, or District of
Columbia savings and loan association;
"(v) the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation, in the
case of an institution insured by the Federal Savings and Loan
Insurance Corporation (other than a Federal savings and loan
association, Federal savings bank, or District of Columbia savings
and loan association);".
1988 - Subsec. (a)(50). Pub. L. 100-704 added par. (50).
1987 - Subsec. (a)(6)(C). Pub. L. 100-181, Sec. 301, substituted
"under the authority of the Comptroller of the Currency pursuant to
section 92a of title 12" for "under section 11(k) of the Federal
Reserve Act, as amended".
Subsec. (a)(16). Pub. L. 100-181, Sec. 302, struck out reference
to Canal Zone.
Subsec. (a)(22)(B). Pub. L. 100-181, Sec. 303, substituted
"association, or any" and "own behalf, in" for "association or any"
and "own behalf in", respectively.
Subsec. (a)(34)(C)(ii). Pub. L. 100-181, Sec. 304, substituted
"State" for "state".
Subsec. (a)(39)(B). Pub. L. 100-181, Sec. 305, substituted
"months, or revoking" for "months, revoking" and "barring or
suspending for a period not exceeding 12 months his" for "barring
his".
Subsec. (a)(47). Pub. L. 100-181, Sec. 306(1), added par. (47).
Subsec. (a)(49). Pub. L. 100-181, Sec. 306(2), added par. (49).
1986 - Subsec. (a)(12). Pub. L. 99-571, Sec. 102(a), in amending
par. (12) generally, expanded definition of "exempted security" or
"exempted securities" to include government securities as defined
in par. (42) of this subsection, provided that such securities not
be deemed exempt for purposes of section 78q-1 of this title,
substituted section 78o-3(g)(3) of this title for section 78o-
3(b)(6), (11), and (g)(2) of this title in provision relating to
municipal securities as not being "exempted securities" and defined
"qualified plan" to mean qualified stock bonus, pension, or profit-
sharing plan, qualified annuity plan, or governmental plan.
Pub. L. 99-514 substituted "Internal Revenue Code of 1986" for
"Internal Revenue Code of 1954", which for purposes of codification
was translated as "title 26" thus requiring no change in text.
Subsec. (a)(29). Pub. L. 99-514 substituted "Internal Revenue
Code of 1986" for "Internal Revenue Code of 1954", which for
purposes of codification was translated as "title 26" thus
requiring no change in text.
Subsec. (a)(34). Pub. L. 99-571, Sec. 102(b)(2), inserted ", and
the term 'District of Columbia savings and loan association' means
any association subject to examination and supervision by the
Federal Home Loan Bank Board under section 1466a of title 12" in
concluding provisions.
Subsec. (a)(34)(G). Pub. L. 99-571, Sec. 102(b)(1), added subpar.
(G).
Subsec. (a)(39)(B). Pub. L. 99-571, Sec. 102(c)(1)(A), which
directed insertion of "or other appropriate regulatory agency"
after "Commission" was executed by making the insertion after
"Commission" the first place appearing as the probable intent of
Congress.
Pub. L. 99-571, Sec. 102(c)(1)(B), substituted "municipal
securities dealer, government securities broker, or government
securities dealer" for "or municipal securities dealer" in two
places.
Subsec. (a)(39)(C). Pub. L. 99-571, Sec. 102(c)(2), substituted
"municipal securities dealer, government securities broker, or
government securities dealer" for "or municipal securities dealer"
and inserted ", an appropriate regulatory agency," after "the
Commission".
Subsec. (a)(42) to (46), (48). Pub. L. 99-571, Sec. 102(d), added
pars. (42) to (46) and (48).
1984 - Subsec. (a)(39)(A). Pub. L. 98-376, Sec. 6(a)(1), inserted
", contract market designated pursuant to section 5 of the
Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 7), or futures association
registered under section 17 of such Act (7 U.S.C. 21), or has been
and is denied trading privileges on any such contract market".
Subsec. (a)(39)(B). Pub. L. 98-376, Sec. 6(a)(2), inserted ", or
is subject to an order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
denying, suspending, or revoking his registration under the
Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.)".
Subsec. (a)(39)(C). Pub. L. 98-376, Sec. 6(a)(3), inserted "or
while associated with an entity or person required to be registered
under the Commodity Exchange Act,".
Subsec. (a)(41). Pub. L. 98-440 added par. (41).
1982 - Subsec. (a)(10). Pub. L. 97-303 inserted "any put, call,
straddle, option, or privilege on any security, certificate of
deposit, or group or index of securities (including any interest
therein or based on the value thereof), or any put, call, straddle,
option, or privilege entered into on a national securities exchange
relating to foreign currency," after "for a security,".
1980 - Subsec. (a)(12). Pub. L. 96-477 included within definition
of "exempted security" interests or participation in single trust
funds, provided that qualifying interests, participation, or
securities could be issued in connection with certain governmental
plans as defined in section 414(d) of title 26, substituted
provisions relating to securities arising out of contracts issued
by insurance companies for provisions relating to separate accounts
maintained by insurance companies, and excluded from definition of
"exempted security" any plans described in cls. (A), (B), or (C) of
par. (12) which were funded by annuity contracts described in
section 403(b) of title 26.
1978 - Subsec. (a)(40). Pub. L. 95-283 added par. (40).
1975 - Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 94-29, Sec. 3(1), redefined term
"member" to recognize the elimination of fixed commission rates in
the case of exchanges, inserted definition of term when used in the
case of registered securities associations, expanded definition of
term when used with respect to an exchange to include any natural
person permitted to effect transactions on the floor of an exchange
without the services of another person acting as broker, any
registered broker or dealer with which such natural person is
associated, any registered broker or dealer permitted to designate
a natural person as its representative on the floor of an exchange,
and any other registered broker or dealer which agrees to be
regulated by an exchange and with respect to whom the exchange has
undertaken to enforce compliance with its rules, this chapter, and
the rules and regulations thereunder, introduced the concept of
including among members any person required to comply with the
rules of an exchange to the extent specified by the Commission in
accordance with section 78f(f) of this title, and expanded
definition of term when used with respect to a registered
securities association to include any broker or dealer who has
agreed to be regulated and with respect to whom the association
undertakes to enforce compliance with its own rules, this chapter,
and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 94-29, Sec. 3(2), substituted "a natural
person, company, government, or political subdivision, agency, or
instrumentality of a government" for "an individual, a corporation,
a partnership, an association, a joint-stock company, a business
trust, or an unincorporated organization".
Subsec. (a)(12). Pub. L. 94-29, Sec. 3(3), brought brokers and
dealers engaged exclusively in municipal securities business within
the registration provisions of this chapter by transferring the
existing description of municipal securities to subsec. (a)(29) and
by inserting in its place provisions revoking the exempt status of
municipal securities for purposes of sections 78o, 78o-3 (except
subsections (b)(6), (b)(11), and (g)(2) thereof) and 78q-1 of this
title.
Subsec. (a)(17). Pub. L. 94-29, Sec. 3(4), expanded definition of
"interstate commerce" to establish that the intrastate use of any
facility of an exchange, any telephones or other interstate means
of communication, or any other interstate instrumentality
constitutes a use of the jurisdictional means for purposes of this
chapter.
Subsec. (a)(18). Pub. L. 94-29, Sec. 3(4), expanded definition to
include persons under common control with the broker or dealer and
struck out references to the classification of the persons,
including employees, controlled by a broker or a dealer.
Subsec. (a)(19). Pub. L. 94-29, Sec. 3(4), substituted "
'separate account', and 'company' " for "and 'separate account'."
Subsec. (a)(21). Pub. L. 94-29, Sec. 3(5), broadened definition
of term "person associated with a member" to encompass a person
associated with a broker or dealer which is a member of an exchange
by restating directly the definition of a "person associated with a
broker or dealer" in subsec. (a)(18).
Subsec. (a)(22) to (39). Pub. L. 94-29, Sec. 3(6), added pars.
(22) to (39).
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94-29, Sec. 3(7), substituted "accounting,
and other terms used in this chapter, consistently with the
provisions and purposes of this chapter" for "and accounting terms
used in this chapter insofar as such definitions are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter".
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 94-29, Sec. 3(8), added subsec. (d).
1970 - Subsec. (a)(12). Pub. L. 91-567 inserted provisions which
brought within definition of "exempted security" any security which
is an industrial development bond the interest on which is
excludable from gross income under section 103(a)(1) of title 26
if, by reason of the application of section 103(c)(4) or (6) of
title 26, section 103(c)(1) does not apply to such security. Such
amendment was also made by Pub. L. 91-373.
Pub. L. 91-547, Sec. 28(a), struck out reference to industrial
development bonds the interest on which is excludable from gross
income under section 103(a)(1) of title 26; and included as
exempted securities interests or participations in common trust
funds maintained by a bank for collective investment of assets held
by it in a fiduciary capacity; interests or participations in bank
collective trust funds maintained for funding of employees' stock-
bonus, pension, or profit-sharing plans; interests or
participations in separate accounts maintained by insurance
companies for funding certain stock-bonus, pension, or profit-
sharing plans which meet the requirements for qualification under
section 401 of title 26; and such other securities as the
Commission by rules and regulations deems necessary in the public
interest.
Pub. L. 91-373 inserted provisions which brought within
definition of "exempted security" any security which is an
industrial development bond the interest on which is excludable
from gross income under section 103(a)(1) of title 26 if, by reason
of the application of section 103(c)(4) or (6) of title 26, section
103(c)(1) does not apply to such security. Such amendment was also
made by Pub. L. 91-567.
Subsec. (a)(19). Pub. L. 91-547, Sec. 28(b), provided for term
"separate account" the same meaning as in the Investment Company
Act of 1940.
1964 - Subsec. (a)(18) to (21). Pub. L. 88-467 added pars. (18)
to (21).
1960 - Subsec. (a)(16). Pub. L. 86-624 struck out reference to
Hawaii.
1959 - Subsec. (a)(16). Pub. L. 86-70 struck out reference to
Alaska.
CHANGE OF NAME
Act Aug. 23, 1935, substituted "Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System" for "Federal Reserve Board".
MISCELLANEOUS
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2004 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 108-386 effective Oct. 30, 2004, and, except
as otherwise provided, applicable with respect to fiscal year 2005
and each succeeding fiscal year, see sections 8(i) and 9 of Pub. L.
108-386, set out as notes under section 321 of Title 12, Banks and
Banking.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1999 AMENDMENT
Amendment by sections 201, 202, 207, and 208 of Pub. L. 106-102
effective at the end of the 18-month period beginning on Nov. 12,
1999, see section 209 of Pub. L. 106-102, set out as a note under
section 1828 of Title 12, Banks and Banking.
Amendment by section 221(b) of Pub. L. 106-102 effective 18
months after Nov. 12, 1999, see section 225 of Pub. L. 106-102, set
out as a note under section 77c of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1995 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 104-62 applicable as defense to any claim in
administrative and judicial actions pending on or commenced after
Dec. 8, 1995, that any person, security, interest, or participation
of type described in Pub. L. 104-62 is subject to the Securities
Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment
Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, or any
State statute or regulation preempted as provided in section 80a-3a
of this title, except as specifically provided in such statutes,
see section 7 of Pub. L. 104-62, set out as a note under section
77c of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1994 AMENDMENT
Amendment by section 347(a) of Pub. L. 103-325 effective upon
date of promulgation of final regulations under section 347(c) of
Pub. L. 103-325, see section 347(d) of Pub. L. 103-325, set out as
an Effective Date of 1994 Amendment note under section 24 of Title
12, Banks and Banking.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1990 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 101-429 effective 12 months after Oct. 15,
1990, or upon issuance of final regulations initially implementing
such amendment, whichever is earlier, with provision to commence
rulemaking proceedings to implement such amendment note later than
180 days after Oct. 15, 1990, and with provisions relating to civil
penalties and accounting and disgorgement, see section 1(c)(2),
(3)(A), (C) of Pub. L. 101-429, set out in a note under section 77g
of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1988 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 100-704, except for amendment by section 6,
not applicable to actions occurring before Nov. 19, 1988, see
section 9 of Pub. L. 100-704, set out as a note under section 78o
of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1986 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 99-571 effective 270 days after Oct. 28,
1986, see section 401 of Pub. L. 99-571, set out as an Effective
Date note under section 78o-5 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1984 AMENDMENT
Section 7 of Pub. L. 98-376 provided that: "The amendments made
by this Act [amending this section and sections 78o, 78t, 78u, and
78ff of this title] shall become effective immediately upon
enactment of this Act [Aug. 10, 1984]."
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1975 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 94-29 effective June 4, 1975, except for
amendment of subsec. (a)(12) by Pub. L. 94-29 to be effective 180
days after June 4, 1975, with provisions of subsec. (a)(3), as
amended by Pub. L. 94-29, or rules or regulations thereunder, not
to apply in a way so as to deprive any person of membership in any
national securities exchange (or its successor) of which such
person was, on June 4, 1975, a member or a member firm as defined
in the constitution of such exchange, or so as to deny membership
in any such exchange (or its successor) to any natural person who
is or becomes associated with such member or member firm, see
section 31(a) of Pub. L. 94-29, set out as a note under section 78b
of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENTS
For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 91-567, see section
6(d) of Pub. L. 91-567, set out as a note under section 77c of this
title.
Amendment by Pub. L. 91-547 effective Dec. 14, 1970, see section
30 of Pub L. 91-547, set out as a note under section 80a-52 of this
title.
For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 91-373, see section
401(c) of Pub. L. 91-373, set out as a note under section 77c of
this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1964 AMENDMENT
Section 13 of Pub. L. 88-467 provided that: "The amendments made
by this Act shall take effect as follows:
"(1) The effective date of section 12(g)(1) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as added by section 3(c) of this Act [section
78l(g)(1) of this title], shall be July 1, 1964.
"(2) The effective date of the amendments to sections 12(b) and
15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [sections 78l(b) and
78o(a) of this title], contained in sections 3(a) and 6(a),
respectively, of this Act shall be July 1, 1964.
"(3) All other amendments contained in this Act [amending this
section and sections 77d, 78l, 78m, 78n, 78o, 78o-3, 78p, 78t, 78w,
and 78ff of this title] shall take effect on the date of its
enactment [Aug. 20, 1964]."
REGULATIONS
Pub. L. 109-351, title I, Sec. 101(a)(2)-(c), Oct. 13, 2006, 120
Stat. 1968, provided that:
"(2) Timing. - Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act [Oct. 13, 2006], the Securities and
Exchange Commission (in this section [enacting this note and
amending 15 U.S.C. 78c] referred to as the 'Commission') and the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (hereafter in
this section referred to as the 'Board') shall jointly issue a
proposed single set of rules or regulations to define the term
'broker' in accordance with section 3(a)(4) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(4)], as amended by this
subsection.
"(3) Rulemaking supersedes previous rulemaking. - A final
single set of rules or regulations jointly adopted in accordance
with this section shall supersede any other proposed or final
rule issued by the Commission on or after the date of enactment
of section 201 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act [Nov. 12, 1999] with
regard to the exceptions to the definition of a broker under
section 3(a)(4)(B) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. No
such other rule, whether or not issued in final form, shall have
any force or effect on or after that date of enactment.
"(b) Consultation. - Prior to jointly adopting the single set of
final rules or regulations required by this section, the Commission
and the Board shall consult with and seek the concurrence of the
Federal banking agencies concerning the content of such rulemaking
in implementing section 3(a)(4)(B) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(4)(B)], as amended by this section and
section 201 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act [Pub. L. 106-102].
"(c) Definition. - For purposes of this section, the term
'Federal banking agencies' means the Office of the Comptroller of
the Currency, the Office of Thrift Supervision, and the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation."
CONSTRUCTION OF 1993 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 103-202 not to be construed to govern
initial issuance of any public debt obligation or to grant any
authority to (or extend any authority of) the Securities and
Exchange Commission, any appropriate regulatory agency, or a self-
regulatory organization to prescribe any procedure, term, or
condition of such initial issuance, to promulgate any rule or
regulation governing such initial issuance, or to otherwise
regulate in any manner such initial issuance, see section 111 of
Pub. L. 103-202, set out as a note under section 78o-5 of this
title.
TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS
For transfer of functions of Securities and Exchange Commission,
with certain exceptions, to Chairman of such Commission, see Reorg.
Plan No. 10 of 1950, Secs. 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3175,
64 Stat. 1265, set out under section 78d of this title.
STATE OPT OUT
Section 347(e) of Pub. L. 103-325 provided that: "Notwithstanding
the amendments made by this section [amending this section and
section 24 of Title 12, Banks and Banking], a note that is directly
secured by a first lien on one or more parcels of real estate upon
which is located one or more commercial structures shall not be
considered to be a mortgage related security under section 3(a)(41)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(41)] in
any State that, prior to the expiration of 7 years after the date
of enactment of this Act [Sept. 23, 1994], enacts a statute that
specifically refers to this section and either prohibits or
provides for a more limited authority to purchase, hold, or invest
in such securities by any person, trust, corporation, partnership,
association, business trust, or business entity or class thereof
than is provided by the amendments made by this subsection. The
enactment by any State of any statute of the type described in the
preceding sentence shall not affect the validity of any contractual
commitment to purchase, hold, or invest that was made prior
thereto, and shall not require the sale or other disposition of any
securities acquired prior thereto."
DEFINITIONS
Pub. L. 106-554, Sec. 1(a)(5) [title III, Sec. 301(b)], Dec. 21,
2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A-451, provided that: "As used in the
amendment made by subsection (a) [enacting sections 206A to 206C of
Pub. L. 106 - 102, set out below], the term 'security' has the same
meaning as in section 2(a)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933 [15
U.S.C. 77b(a)(1)] or section 3(a)(10) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(10)]."
Pub. L. 106-102, title II, Sec. 206, Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat.
1393, provided that:
"(a) Definition of Identified Banking Product. - For purposes of
paragraphs (4) and (5) of section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(4), (5)), the term 'identified
banking product' means -
"(1) a deposit account, savings account, certificate of
deposit, or other deposit instrument issued by a bank;
"(2) a banker's acceptance;
"(3) a letter of credit issued or loan made by a bank;
"(4) a debit account at a bank arising from a credit card or
similar arrangement;
"(5) a participation in a loan which the bank or an affiliate
of the bank (other than a broker or dealer) funds, participates
in, or owns that is sold -
"(A) to qualified investors; or
"(B) to other persons that -
"(i) have the opportunity to review and assess any material
information, including information regarding the borrower's
creditworthiness; and
"(ii) based on such factors as financial sophistication,
net worth, and knowledge and experience in financial matters,
have the capability to evaluate the information available, as
determined under generally applicable banking standards or
guidelines; or
"(6) any swap agreement, including credit and equity swaps,
except that an equity swap that is sold directly to any person
other than a qualified investor (as defined in section 3(a)(54)
of the Securities Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(54)]) shall not
be treated as an identified banking product.
"(b) Definition of Swap Agreement. - For purposes of subsection
(a)(6), the term 'swap agreement' means any individually negotiated
contract, agreement, warrant, note, or option that is based, in
whole or in part, on the value of, any interest in, or any
quantitative measure or the occurrence of any event relating to,
one or more commodities, securities, currencies, interest or other
rates, indices, or other assets, but does not include any other
identified banking product, as defined in paragraphs (1) through
(5) of subsection (a).
"(c) Classification Limited. - Classification of a particular
product as an identified banking product pursuant to this section
shall not be construed as finding or implying that such product is
or is not a security for any purpose under the securities laws, or
is or is not an account, agreement, contract, or transaction for
any purpose under the Commodity Exchange Act [7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.].
"(d) Incorporated Definitions. - For purposes of this section,
the terms 'bank' and 'qualified investor' have the same meanings as
given in section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15
U.S.C. 78c(a)], as amended by this Act."
Pub. L. 106-102, title II, Secs. 206A - 206C, as added by Pub. L.
106-554, Sec. 1(a)(5) [title III, Sec. 301(a)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114
Stat. 2763, 2763A-449, provided that:
"SEC. 206A. SWAP AGREEMENT.
"(a) In General. - Except as provided in subsection (b), as used
in this section, the term 'swap agreement' means any agreement,
contract, or transaction between eligible contract participants (as
defined in section 1a(12) of the Commodity Exchange Act [7 U.S.C.
1a(12)] as in effect on the date of the enactment of this section
[Dec. 21, 2000]), other than a person that is an eligible contract
participant under section 1a(12)(C) of the Commodity Exchange Act,
the material terms of which (other than price and quantity) are
subject to individual negotiation, and that -
"(1) is a put, call, cap, floor, collar, or similar option of
any kind for the purchase or sale of, or based on the value of,
one or more interest or other rates, currencies, commodities,
indices, quantitative measures, or other financial or economic
interests or property of any kind;
"(2) provides for any purchase, sale, payment or delivery
(other than a dividend on an equity security) that is dependent
on the occurrence, non-occurrence, or the extent of the
occurrence of an event or contingency associated with a potential
financial, economic, or commercial consequence;
"(3) provides on an executory basis for the exchange, on a
fixed or contingent basis, of one or more payments based on the
value or level of one or more interest or other rates,
currencies, commodities, securities, instruments of indebtedness,
indices, quantitative measures, or other financial or economic
interests or property of any kind, or any interest therein or
based on the value thereof, and that transfers, as between the
parties to the transaction, in whole or in part, the financial
risk associated with a future change in any such value or level
without also conveying a current or future direct or indirect
ownership interest in an asset (including any enterprise or
investment pool) or liability that incorporates the financial
risk so transferred, including any such agreement, contract, or
transaction commonly known as an interest rate swap, including a
rate floor, rate cap, rate collar, cross-currency rate swap,
basis swap, currency swap, equity index swap, equity swap, debt
index swap, debt swap, credit spread, credit default swap, credit
swap, weather swap, or commodity swap;
"(4) provides for the purchase or sale, on a fixed or
contingent basis, of any commodity, currency, instrument,
interest, right, service, good, article, or property of any kind;
or
"(5) is any combination or permutation of, or option on, any
agreement, contract, or transaction described in any of
paragraphs (1) through (4).
"(b) Exclusions. - The term 'swap agreement' does not include -
"(1) any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any
security, certificate of deposit, or group or index of
securities, including any interest therein or based on the value
thereof;
"(2) any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege entered into
on a national securities exchange registered pursuant to section
6(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78f(a)]
relating to foreign currency;
"(3) any agreement, contract, or transaction providing for the
purchase or sale of one or more securities on a fixed basis;
"(4) any agreement, contract, or transaction providing for the
purchase or sale of one or more securities on a contingent basis,
unless such agreement, contract, or transaction predicates such
purchase or sale on the occurrence of a bona fide contingency
that might reasonably be expected to affect or be affected by the
creditworthiness of a party other than a party to the agreement,
contract, or transaction;
"(5) any note, bond, or evidence of indebtedness that is a
security as defined in section 2(a)(1) of the Securities Act of
1933 [15 U.S.C. 77b(a)(1)] or section 3(a)(10) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(10)]; or
"(6) any agreement, contract, or transaction that is -
"(A) based on a security; and
"(B) entered into directly or through an underwriter (as
defined in section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 [15
U.S.C. 77b(a)]) by the issuer of such security for the purposes
of raising capital, unless such agreement, contract, or
transaction is entered into to manage a risk associated with
capital raising.
"(c) Rule of Construction Regarding Master Agreements. - As used
in this section, the term 'swap agreement' shall be construed to
include a master agreement that provides for an agreement,
contract, or transaction that is a swap agreement pursuant to
subsections (a) and (b), together with all supplements to any such
master agreement, without regard to whether the master agreement
contains an agreement, contract, or transaction that is not a swap
agreement pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), except that the
master agreement shall be considered to be a swap agreement only
with respect to each agreement, contract, or transaction under the
master agreement that is a swap agreement pursuant to subsections
(a) and (b).
"SEC. 206B. SECURITY-BASED SWAP AGREEMENT.
"As used in this section, the term 'security-based swap
agreement' means a swap agreement (as defined in section 206A) of
which a material term is based on the price, yield, value, or
volatility of any security or any group or index of securities, or
any interest therein.
"SEC. 206C. NON-SECURITY-BASED SWAP AGREEMENT.
"As used in this section, the term 'non-security-based swap
agreement' means any swap agreement (as defined in section 206A)
that is not a security-based swap agreement (as defined in section
206B)."
FOOTNOTE
(!1) See References in Text note below.
(!2) So in original. Probably should be followed by "and".
(!3) So in original. Probably should be "evidenced".
(!4) See References in Text note below.
(!5) See References in Text note below.